


Holding Out For A Hero

by paulinkaaxx, SailorHeichou



Series: Mass Effect Ereri AU (Space hubands) [2]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Mass Effect, Alternate Universe - Space, Asari!Annie, Biotic!Annie, Biotic!Eren, Biotic!Mikasa, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Citadel kid!Jean, Colonist!Armin, Colonist!Eren, Commander Levi, Earthborn!Levi, Earthborn!Mikasa, F/M, Guns, Humor, Levi/Eren Yeager-centric, M/M, More tags to be added, Multi, Outer Space, Shooting Guns, Slow Build, Soldier!Levi, Space Flight, Spaceships, Whats new?, eren and levi get off on the wrong foot, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2018-12-06 17:39:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 58,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11605599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paulinkaaxx/pseuds/paulinkaaxx, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorHeichou/pseuds/SailorHeichou
Summary: The year is 2185 -- Commander Levi, Hero of the Citadel, has been grounded and dry-docked on the Citadel with the threat of the Reapers still looming over the galaxy. But, when a new and mysterious enemy appears, the Commander will be forced to trust in the new crew he's been assigned.Enter Eren Jaeger. After having had his Colony massacred by the geth two years previous, he struggles to come to terms with with the lies fed to him by the Citadel Council. Teamed up with his longtime Hero, Commander Levi, Eren hopes to help stop the incoming Reaper attack. But, he faces several trials in the process of trying to fight off past demons.Will he be able to earn the trust and respect of his Commander? Will Levi give Eren the chance he's desperately searching for?--(Part 2 of a larger series. Levi-Eren centric. Title inspired by Holding out for a Hero (cover) by Nothing But Thieves)





	1. New Recruits

**Author's Note:**

> Alright! We're finally getting to the good stuff! Eren is finally introduced, along with all the other precious nuggets and poor Levi just wants to beat the reapers.
> 
> Thanks for everyone who followed from the previous part of this series! I hope you'll enjoy this one just as much as the first part! As before, I'll be referencing a few minor things within the chapters. Mostly, they'll be Alien races so those non-mass effect fans can envision them easier and know what I'm describing. Aside from this, I may reference a few non-alien things, like devices used in the game like Omni-tools, Shuttles, Vehicles or Mass Relays. 
> 
> Look forward to it! Enjoy!

**_2185: 2 Years Later_ **

 

"This is such bullshit." Levi spat. 

"Oh, I don't know." Hanji sang jovially. "Think of it as a well deserved vacation. You get some time to relax and live like a normal civilian for a bit." 

"I don't _want_ to be a fucking civilian, you shit-head. That was the whole point of joining the goddamn Alliance." 

"Everything can't always be fighting Geth and destroying Reapers, Levi." the brunette sitting across from him sighed. "You should seriously think about finding someone to settle down with now that you're grounded on the Citadel." 

Sitting up in his seat, the raven leaned across the table in the lounge where he and Hanji sat overlooking the dance floor. The Dark Star Lounge wasn't exactly his favorite place but it was somewhere he could have a stiff drink and bitch however much he wanted.

"Are you stupid?" he frowned. "What would make you think that I even want to settle down when there's a fucking war coming." 

"Love finds a way even in the hardest of times!" Hanji scolded him. "I'm seriously starting to worry about you." she sighed. "I mean, out of all our friends, you're the only one who's still single." 

"Why the fuck should that matter?" he huffed, leaning back in his chair while crossing his arms. "I'm a soldier. My duty to serve always comes first." 

"Uh-huh." the scientist said sarcastically. "You know, one of these days you're going to meet someone who will change that." 

"Doubt it."

"Ugh, you're so cynical!" 

"It's called being realistic, dip-shit."

"No, that's pessimism at it's finest." 

"Fuck off, I'm a home owner now." Levi muttered. 

Barking out a laugh, Hanji drew some curious stares their way as she continued to laugh at Levi's expense.

"Aw, honey." she finally said, once her laughter had subsided. "It's not so bad, owning an apartment on the Citadel. Just look at Erwin and me, we're perfectly happy living here."

"Well, I'm fucking not."

"Levi, Levi, Levi." the brunette sighed. "I think you've spent too much time on ships."

Rolling his eyes, the commander decided to change the subject, tiring of listening to Hanji reprimand him for not wanting a civilian life for a change. Shore leave was one thing but being completely grounded while his ship was dry-docked? It had already been three months. 

"Has Erwin heard anything?" 

Hanji took a sip of her drink before answering him, "Not that I know of." she frowned. "Last I heard, they had already reassigned everyone on the ship except for me, you, Petra, Mike and Nanaba but that could easily change."

"Tch!" Levi sucked his teeth harshly. "Fucking Zackly thinks he can shorten my leash by taking my crew from me. He'll regret that." 

"At least you've still got us, Levi." Hanji tried reassuring him with a smile. 

"Yeah," The commander sighed. "But for how much longer..."

\-- M --

_"Ah, Commander."_ Erwin's voice crackled through the QEC. _"I'm glad I was able to catch you at home."_

"What do you want, Smith?" was Levi's surly response. For once, he was trying to 'relax' by sitting down and meditating in his own apartment, but it figures that as soon as he did, Erwin would contact him now after months of radio silence, so to speak. 

_"Am I interrupting something?"_ came the blond's amused voice.

Taking a deep breath and sighing in annoyance, Levi finally opened his shut eyes and uncrossed his legs as he glared up at the blond Councilor on the screen who was smirking smugly at him.

"If you're not calling me for anything important, I'm hanging up on your ass." 

_"So, I'm assuming you _don't_ want your new assignment or the roster of the names with your new crew?"_ Erwin asked. _"Well, that's too bad."_

"Wait one damn minute, bushy brows." the Commander growled. "What the hell did you just say?"

Sighing and feigning annoyance, Erwin pinched the bridge of his nose. Levi couldn't help but fantasize about punching him in the teeth in that moment. 

_"Must I repeat myself, Commander? You know I hate that."_

Ignoring Erwin's poor attempts at joking, the raven stood up from his spot on the floor and walked toward his bedroom. 

"I'm coming to your office." he announced while stripping.

_"Good. I'll see you in a few minutes."_

That was an understatement. Levi absolutely flew toward Erwin's office in the Embassy Suites. Well, the newly renovated Embassy Suites. Since the attack on the Citadel two years ago, the station had undergone quite a few changes. That much was a given. He had never been more grateful for Rapid Transit until now as he immediately arrived in front of the Embassy. As he cut through the crowds of people, Levi wasn't unaware of the stares and whispers that followed him as he stomped his way toward Erwin's office.

"Was that Commander Levi?"

"Hero of the Citadel? No way! Where!?"

"He's a lot... shorter than I thought he would be."

"Shh! Do you want to make him mad? I heard he took down an entire Geth drop ship all on his own!" 

He was used to all the attention by now but that didn't mean he liked it. Still, he promptly ignored the awed whispers and starry eyed admirers as he hurried up a flight of stairs that would lead him straight to Erwin's over-sized office at the end of the corridor. As he approached the door, Levi was met with two C-Sec Officers who immediately recognized him and let him through. Erwin really took his security seriously, Levi guessed as he entered the room to find the Human Councilor standing on the terrace overlooking the Presidium down below.

The Commander knew the man was aware of his presence but Erwin made no moves to turn and address him just yet which prompted Levi to approach the terrace and have a look down for himself. Following Erwin's line of sight, he bit back a smirk as he noticed the man was staring down at Hanji who was sitting at a table at the cafe while pouring over some of her research notes. 

"Two years of marriage and you're still acting like some lovesick teenager." Levi snorted. Seeing the smile on Erwin's face as he closed his eyes, the commander raised a brow curiously. 

The Councilor sighed before turning to face him, "You'll understand someday." Erwin chuckled and Levi scowled up at him. 

"Well, fuck you too." the raven grumbled under his breath as he followed Erwin over to his desk. "So, what's this about my reassignment and a new crew?"

"Just what it sounds like. You've been officially reassigned to the SSV Titan, along with an entirely new crew to help you fly her." 

"I liked my old crew." the Commander argued.

"Well, your old crew are all assigned to different ships now, so you'll have to adjust, Commander."

"Tch, did that old bastard Zackly replace everyone?" 

"Well, he planned to, originally, but I managed to convince him to let you keep a few familiar faces. Go ahead and have a look for yourself." Erwin said as he handed Levi a datapad with the roster on it. "I'm sure you'll be quite pleased."

Taking the datapad from the Councilor's hand, Levi immediately started scanning the list of names, stopping only briefly when he noticed Hanji, Petra, Mike and Nanaba's names on the roster. His tense body starting relaxing as he continued to skim through the names on the list until he got towards the end and stopped on two names, one that sounded vaguely familiar to him, though he wasn't sure why and the other just a bit surprising to him.

' ** _Corporal Mikasa Ackerman_** '

' ** _Lieutenant Eren Jaeger_** '

"Well, what do you think?" Erwin asked, snapping Levi out of his thoughts as he tore his eyes away from the list of names. 

"What do I think about what?" the Commander scoffed. "This list is filled with nothing but rookies barely two years out of boot camp. They have no real experience aside from a couple who went through N7 training."

"They're quite a promising group, Levi."

"I'll decide that for myself." the raven frowned. "What's my assignment, then?" 

"Cerberus." Erwin stated, a dark look in his usually piercing blue eyes. "They're on the move again and this time, they're doing more than just a few secret experiments."

"What does this have to do with our goal of stopping the Reapers?" came Levi's impatient question.

"I'm not entirely sure yet." the blond admitted with a frustrated sigh. "What I do know is that it's important that we stop them, whatever it is they're doing. It's not good, but Hanji and I have a theory that Cerberus is tied to the Reaper invasion somehow."

"That isn't exactly a lot to go on, Erwin."

"I know it isn't." the other man huffed. Clearly, he was stressed and frustrated about whatever it was that Cerberus was up to and Levi figured he could cut the guy some slack. At least Erwin had managed to get him back to work, where he belonged. "Look, Levi. We need to be careful about this. I don't have any evidence to show yet but I have a bad feeling that Cerberus has some undercover operatives and conspirators right here on the Citadel and maybe even among the other Diplomats and Ambassadors."

"That would be bad." Levi reasoned. "Alright, Erwin. I'll track down those bastards but that doesn't mean I'm exactly happy about this situation." he sighed. 

Erwin chuckled at that, "I know, Levi. But trust me, it's the best I could do for you right now. Zackly is already suspicious enough as it is when I asked him to leave Hanji and your former squad members on this assignment. Don't waste this chance."

"I won't." the Commander promised with plenty of determination and resolve in his voice. "I'm out of here, then."

"Oh, Levi?" the Councilor called just as Levi turned to leave his office. "Keith asked to speak with you. His office is on the other side of the Embassy." 

"Shadis?" Levi asked with a cocked brow. "What about?" 

Shrugging, Erwin took a seat at his desk as he began going through datapads. "It wasn't my place to ask. Just stop by and see him before you head down to the docking bay." 

"Tch, fine." 

Of course, Erwin hadn't been kidding when he said that Keith's office was literally on the other side of the Embassy and the offices were by far twice as small as Erwin's office had been but then again, Levi wasn't really surprised by this. Shadis was lucky to even have an office on the Citadel after the crap he pulled two years ago, but then again, Levi could understand where the man was coming from back then and he still did to this day. Shadis was a hero in his eyes, even if the man didn't think so himself. 

Upon approaching Shadis's office, Levi could hear loud, muffled arguing coming from the other side of the door and he paused just before entering. He wasn't entirely sure what the protocol was for this type of situation; on the one hand, Shadis could be in trouble but on the more realistic side, he was probably just arguing with some obnoxious diplomat who wasn't happy with their accommodations on the station. Suddenly, the arguing came to a halt and before Levi could do anything, the door hissed open and out stomped a very angry looking Alliance Marine. He didn't seem to notice Levi standing right there as he stomped out and because of this, the brunet bumped into the Commander roughly. 

"Hey!" Levi growled angrily, but the marine just kept walking off. "Piece of shit..." the commander grumbled before rolling his shoulders and stepping into Shadis's office. 

"Levi," the older man greeted him tiredly. "Good, I was hoping you'd stop by my office before leaving the station. I heard about your reassignment." 

"You heard?" the raven asked skeptically.

"Word gets around quickly on the Citadel." The man chuckled before he leaned against the edge of his desk. "Also, Erwin mentioned you would be going on assignment again soon." 

Rolling his eyes, Levi approached the man and stopped a decent distance before he crossed his arms over his chest and regarded his former CO with sharp, gray eyes. 

"It's good to see you, Shadis." he said honestly. "How's the old war wound?" 

Barking out a laugh, Shadis shook his head with a smile. "War wound? I wish." the man sighed. "But, to answer your question, it's fully healed by now. I'll live." 

Nodding his head in acknowledgement, Levi spoke. "Erwin said you wanted to see me about something?" 

"Yes," Shadis nodded back. "I did. I'm sure you've already received the roster with all the names of your new crew." 

"I've got it right here." the Commander said with a wave of the small datapad in his left hand. "Why?" 

"Well, I thought I should let you know that three of the soldiers that will be under your command have a very personal connection to myself." 

"Ah, fuck." Levi cursed, much to Shadis' amusement. 

"Don't worry, Commander. I only wanted to give you a warning. These three recruits will probably give you some trouble but none more than Eren."

"Eren?" Levi parroted. "Eren Jaeger?"

The older man sighed and nodded his head. "Yes, that's him. I'm not sure if you recall but I'm sure I mentioned him to you once or twice in the past." 

"The kid who's colony got destroyed by the Geth two years ago." 

"... Yes. Shiganshina."

"I see..." Levi said quietly. "I remember you said he had enlisted but I didn't think--"

"Didn't I tell you, Commander?" Keith smiled knowingly. "I warned you that he could be under your command one day and you didn't believe me." 

Eyeing the older man suspiciously, Levi couldn't help but notice the pleased expression on Keith's face as he waited for Levi's response. 

"You didn't happen to have anything to do with him being placed under my command, did you?" he asked. 

"Nonsense!" the man laughed jovially. "I'm retired, Levi. What influence could I possibly have over such things?"

"Oh, I'm sure you have your ways, Keith." the Commander scoffed.

"I'm just an old military dog who likes to sit on park benches and feed my birds." the other man sighed, though Levi could still see the mischief in his amber eyes as he regarded the shorter raven who eyed him skeptically. 

"Like hell you are."

"But in all seriousness, Commander. I just wanted to let you know that despite the fact that they're very young and a bit inexperienced, Eren, Mikasa and Armin have been through a lot and have suffered more than most young kids their age. Don't underestimate them." Keith said in a sad tone. 

"I'll be the judge of that." the Commander huffed. "I don't care how talented or brave they are, they have to earn my trust and respect just like everyone else. I don't baby anyone." 

"And I respect that, Commander, I do. It's why I chose you as my successor. I'm just worried about how Eren will react to your... authority." came Keith's worried reply as he flashed Levi an odd look. 

"Meaning?" 

"He's always had a bit of a problem when it comes to taking orders. Used to get into fights for no reason as a kid and always worried his mother sick. He's mellowed out a bit since enduring boot camp training but he's still hard-headed and stubborn." 

"Well," Levi snorted. "That shit's not gonna be tolerated on my ship. I'll either make him fall in line or maroon him on the next planet we dock on."

Chuckling, Shadis nodded his head in understanding. "I know, Commander. It's not so much insubordination I'm worried about, he'll follow orders when he has to but... Eren isn't what I'd call ordinary. He's... unlike anything you've seen before." 

"Well, I'll consider myself warned." the raven nodded. "But like I said, Keith. He'll either fall in line or get the hell off my ship because I don't have time to deal with brats and I'm definitely not giving him any special treatment, special or not." 

"Understood, Commander. Good luck and godspeed." 

Saluting Levi, the Commander saluted his former CO for old time's sake before taking his leave. Well, now that he knew what he was dealing with, Levi was starting to dread meeting his new crew more and more.

\-- M --

"So this is really happening?" Hanji asked as she joined Levi back on the Titan.

"This is really happening." He nodded. "We've got our mission and we've got a crew. The real work starts from here on out." 

"Time to meet the new recruits?" she asked and Levi groaned quietly. 

"Unfortunately." 

Rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, Levi approached the intercom and prepared to address his ship's crew. This was familiar to him by now, having been in command of the Titan for the last two years, he was totally in his element now as he beeped in and spoke in a low but commanding tone. 

_"This is your Commander speaking. All Personnel report to the deck."_

Stepping back from the intercom, Levi glanced over at a giddy Hanji who started making her way toward the CIC and Levi soon followed her, taking his place in front of the Galaxy map as he waited for his new crew to filter in. Thankfully, it didn't take them long but just as he suspected, many of the new faces in his crew looked no older than twenty, which just confirmed his earlier assumptions that he was now in charge of a bunch of inexperienced rookies. 

"Line up." Levi ordered them. "We're taking a roll call."

Well, so far, they all seemed to follow orders accordingly as the young new recruits of varying ages lined up before him. Pulling out the roster he had in his hand, Levi went down the list.

"When you hear your name called, step forward and then wait for me to dismiss you to your station." he instructed before calling out the first name on the list. "Armin Arlert." 

Recognizing the name as one of the kids Shadis mentioned, Levi made sure to pay extra close attention to the skinny blond who stepped forward and saluted him nervously. Arlert wasn't much taller than Levi himself, with short blond hair with bangs that framed his boyish face but he certainly didn't look like someone who had gone through hell and back. However, Shadis had been clear about that fact so Levi would reserve judgement, for now. 

"R-Reporting for duty, sir!" the blond stuttered. 

"Alright, Arlert. Get to your station." Levi dismissed. Well, at least now he knew who Armin was. Now to find the other two brats Shadis mentioned. "Corporal Mikasa Ackerman." Seems he was two for three already. 

A young woman stepped forward with straight, inky black hair that reached her chin. She was pale with large but very dark eyes that seemed to pierce right through you. Levi barely even needed to glance at her before he knew that standing before him was a hardened soldier, though her age on the roster showed she was barely 23-years-old. Still, she was one of the graduates of the N7 program which explained everything. She was absolutely elite and for once since learning he was receiving a new and very inexperienced crew, Levi didn't feel completely hopeless that everyone on the ship would be incompetent. That was his hope, anyway. 

"Here, Commander." The two raven's locked eyes, seeming to size each other up for a second and Levi was mildly impressed by the way Mikasa stood her ground against his glare. She was really made of some hard stuff. He could definitely use that. 

Nodding his head in slight approval, Levi addressed her. "Dismissed, Corporal." 

He would continue down the list this way, calling out each new crew member and memorizing the faces of those he noticed were N7 because they were of an entirely different class altogether compared to the rest of the crew who seemed to cower before him. There were 3 graduates of the N7 program in total, including Eren Jaeger. 

"Flight Lieutenant Jean Kirstein."

"Right here, Commander." a tall, young man stepped forward. One of the other N7 graduates, Levi noticed. Though, he didn't like the kid's slightly arrogant behavior as he smirked smugly at some of the other recruits. 

Jean Kirstein, 24-years-old, graduated at the top of his class with several honors, served on three Alliance Cruisers and one Frigate prior to his assignment to Levi's crew. He must have thought his record called for something to be proud of but Levi would knock him down a peg or two. He didn't need anyone peacocking around his ship and starting trouble. 

"What the hell are you smirking about, Flight Lieutenant?" Levi scowled. "Do you find something amusing?" 

Almost immediately, that smug smirk was wiped clean off the pilot's face and his amber eyes were widening. Then he spluttered for some type of response. 

"N-No, sir! I-I'm--- I didn't-- I was just--" 

"Get to the bridge, Kirstein." Levi dismissed with a glare. 

"Yes, sir..." the kid deflated. The Commander heard someone snort a quiet laugh but he didn't care to look and see who it was. Kirstein however, seemed to shoot daggers to someone in the lineup as he walked toward the bridge to get to his station. 

"Sasha Braus and Connie Springer." These were two of the engineers that would be taking over from now on. He needed to asses them for himself.

A young brunette girl and a short bald boy stepped forward, the brunette nearly tripping over her own feet before the bald one caught her. Staring at the clumsy duo for several seconds, eventually, Levi decided Erwin had assigned him these two knuckleheads just to spite him. There was no other explanation. 

"Engineer Braus Present!" the brunette giggled nervously while saluting the Commander. 

"Engineer Springer, reporting for duty, sir!" When Connie saluted him with the wrong hand, Levi had to stop himself from face-palming or doing something else to correct that error. Instead, with a roll of his eyes and a groan of frustration, Levi simply dismissed them quickly. 

"Dismissed." he grunted. The sooner they were out of his sight, the better. Those two were Chief Engineer Eld's headache now. "Lieu. Eren Jaeger." 

Ah, so this was the kid Shadis talked about. Well, it was about damn time. Gray eyes looked up and searched the lineup of marines before a vaguely familiar brunet stepped forward and saluted him (correctly, unlike Engineer Springer).

"Lieu. Jaeger reporting for duty, Commander!" the brunet said. Levi couldn't help but study the young man as he held Levi's gaze fearlessly. 

Eren was a tall young man with long, unruly brown hair that framed his face. He had startlingly large, teal colored eyes that stood out against his tanned skin but Levi couldn't think of anything but the fact that this was the same piece of shit who had bumped into him on the citadel while he was entering Shadis's office earlier. Now everything made sense. 

Crossing his arms over his chest, Levi regarded Eren with a scowl as he stepped down from the ramp that led up to the Galaxy map so that he could invade Eren's personal space. Never mind the height difference, because the Commander was about to give Eren a piece of his mind for not stopping to apologize for bumping into him earlier on the station.

"You're the snot-nosed brat that bumped into me in the Embassy earlier." the raven growled in a threatening tone. 

"Uh," the brunet answered dumbly. "What?" 

Grabbing him by the front of his uniform, Levi yanked the kid down so that he was at eye level with him before he spoke again. 

"You heard me, Lieutenant." the Commander hissed. "You bumped into me as you were walking out of Shadis's office and didn't even stop to apologize to me." he accused. 

"Oh." Eren said quietly, realization flooding his face, along with a bit of embarrassment. "I-- uh, I didn't know it was you, Sir." 

"Do you often make it a habit of bumping into superior officers while storming off, Jaeger?"

"I-I... No, sir?" 

"You sound uncertain." Levi pointed out. He could tell he was making Eren uncomfortable by the way the brunet leaned away from him and shifted his gaze around helplessly. "Which is it? Yes or no?" 

"No, sir!" 

The Commander took a moment to analyze the young marine, now that he was toe to toe with him. Eren was very fit, no doubt thanks to his N7 training and then some but it irked the Commander at just how tall the other was. Then again, most people were taller than Levi and he had gotten used to having to look up at majority of his crew by now, Petra being one of the few exceptions. 

 

"You're on my shit-list, Jaeger." he said with a growl before turning away and taking his place before the line of marines. "Dismissed." The Commander didn't bother sparing the brunet a second glance as he dejectedly got out of line and returned to Deck 2 via the new elevator.

 

Levi went down the rest of the roster quickly, finishing up roll call shortly after his encounter with Shadis's three brats. There weren't many people in the crew who particularly stuck out to him, aside from the N7 trainees, of which there weren't many. Not exactly surprising, but still, he was mildly impressed that Erwin was able to get him at least a half-decent crew, those two knucklehead engineers aside.

 

When Roll call was done and over with and each new member of his crew at their assigned stations, Petra approached the Commander with a sunny smile. 

 

"It's good seeing you again, Commander." she chirped. "Ready to take the tour of the SSV Titan and all it's newest retrofits?" 

 

"Not really." the raven grunted with a disgusted curl of his lip as he observed the new elevator from a distance. "I liked the way the Titan looked before." he grumbled to himself quietly. 

 

Of course, that earned a titter from Petra. "The retrofits aren't too bad, sir. I think you'll be pleased with the new shuttle bay. Along with the new shuttles, of course." 

 

"Well," the Commander huffed before straightening up and walking forward. "Let's get this over with, Yeoman."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun times starting~ I loved this chapter for several reasons but most of all because Eren and Levi finally met! Let the slow-burn begin! -evil laughter- 
> 
> Thanks again to my darling dearest, paulinkaaxx, for helping me with everything, as usual.
> 
>  ****Notes:**   
> **QEC:** Quantum Entanglement Communication   
> **C-Sec:** Citadel Security  
>  **N-7:** N7 is a vocational code in the Systems Alliance military. The "N" designates special forces and the "7" refers to the highest level of proficiency.


	2. Night terrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _'♪ So, you woke up with a problem_  
>  Are you gonna try? Nothing really matters when you wanna die  
> We're breathing, keep breathing ♪'
> 
>  
> 
> **[Alex Vargas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbuRWFN8juA)** \- **Wear Your Demons Out**

__

Eren held the Pistol in his hand as he tried to force himself to stop trembling. He felt like his throat was closing up as he tried to swallow, vision blurring as tears began to form in his eyes. This was too much. He couldn't believe this was happening.

__

 

__

"Eren!" the sound of Armin shouting from behind him was nothing but muted white noise to him as he took aim. "Eren, shoot!" 

__

 

__

"I..." he breathed. "I can't! I can't do it, Armin!" 

__

 

__

"Eren..." Armin said, voice surprisingly gentle and calm. "There's nothing you can do to save her now." he said. 

__

 

__

"You don't know that!" the brunet yelled angrily. 

__

 

__

"Yes, I do!" the blond argued. "You've seen it for yourself! The transformation isn't reversible! You have to kill her!" 

__

 

__

"No..." Eren held back a sob. "I can't..." 

__

 

__

"E-ren..." a familiar voice called out to him. He could easily pin it as Keith Shadis's voice, though it was rough and cracked. "Shoot..." Keith was practically begging him to pull the trigger now. 

__

 

__

"I... can't!!" he sobbed in frustration. "I'm so sorry, mom. I'm so... sorry..."

__

**\-- M --**

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, mom..." Tossing and turning in his sleep, Eren finally woke with a start when he slowly regained consciousness.

He sat up in his bunk, body trembling and a cold sweat breaking out all over leaving his fringe damp and splayed against his forehead. He took a moment to calm himself, to even out his breathing which had become erratic along with his racing heart. Struggling to swallow past the lump in his throat, the young Lieutenant brought his knees up to his chest and rested his forearms over them. Eren just needed... he needed to just calm down... it was just a nightmare. The same fucking nightmare he'd been experiencing over and over for the last two years and it never got any better. 

Despite the mild bouts of PTSD every now and again, Eren had somehow managed to pass every psych evaluation, though, that hadn't been the case two years earlier. He had been deemed unfit for duty after the death of his mother and the destruction of his entire colony but thankfully, Shadis had been there once again to save his ass. If it hadn't been for Keith, he didn't know what would have happened. They might have discharged him from service and he'd be forced to take up a job with C-Sec on the Citadel. Just the thought of it sent a shudder throughout his body. No, Eren had been meant for the Alliance long ago. Besides, he doubted C-Sec would have known what to do with a Biotic as advanced as he was. 

When he was sure the last of his nightmare had waned and he was a little less shaky, the brunet released a heavy sigh before he threw his sheet off of himself and sat at the edge of his bed, hoping to regain a bit of his composure before attempting to sleep again. He knew it would be a bit pointless to force himself to sleep when he was still this unsettled. What he needed was a nice cup of hot tea to calm his nerves while he thought about his latest episode. Mikasa and Armin will want to hear of it, of course. Those two were practically his personal physicians and it wasn't too far from the truth. They knew more things about him than any Official Alliance Doctor did, probably. 

Glancing over at a peacefully sleeping Armin, Eren cracked a weary smile before he was pushing himself up from his bunk. It was best not to wake Armin for this. The poor blond needed his sleep, after all. His brain was too valuable and a sleep-addled Armin was basically useless to everyone. Mikasa was in the women's quarters so, no chance of him just sneaking over there to see if she was up for a midnight therapy session. Looks like he was on his own this time, but that was fine. He'd dealt with worse. 

Quietly, Eren crept out of the crew's quarters which was located conveniently on deck 2 along with the Mess Hall, which is exactly where Eren was headed for his midnight fix for tea. It was eerily quiet on the ship, something he wasn't used to, or at least, not to this extent. The SSV Titan was a ship like no other in the Alliance, that was for sure. The first of it's kind and no doubt, the best. Intended for stealth missions and reconnaissance, it was no wonder it was so quiet even as it flew.

Successfully, he made it to the mess hall where he could already see the illuminated kitchenette in his sights. Luckily, the trip to the mess hall was pretty direct so he didn't risk getting lost on his way back to his quarters. Something he was silently grateful for, considering he still wasn't used to the layout of this frigate and getting lost his first night would be rather embarrassing. Still, despite his foreign surroundings, Eren found all the things he needed for a cup of tea with ease and soon he was he leaning against the small counter top as he steeped his tea bag into his cup of hot water. 

He was preparing to let his thoughts drift when he heard someone clear their throat. The unexpected noise startled him and he almost dropped his mug on the ground but somehow managed not to. He did get a little hot water splashed on his hand however and he bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from yelping in pain. 

"Why am I not surprised to find you of all people sneaking around my ship after hours, Jaeger."

At his Commander's very unimpressed voice, Eren snapped to attention and saluted his CO without a second thought. That didn't stop him from noticing that Levi was dressed in a pair of very loose but comfortable looking sweats and a hooded sweatshirt that had the sleeves torn off. Overall, it was a bit strange seeing the great Levi Ackerman dressed so casually and yet he could still strike terror in people's heart with that glare of his.

"S-Sir!"

"Keep your voice down, idiot." Levi frowned as he moved toward the small kitchenette. 

"Oh, right. Sorry, sir. I, uhm, wasn't expecting anyone to be awake at this hour." 

"I'm always awake at this hour." the raven groused as he began fixing himself his own cup of tea. 

Eren watched in interest as his Commander pulled down what looked like a secret stash of loose leaf tea. His eyebrows shot up in surprise as he looked on, watching as Levi scooped out a couple of spoonfuls. He wasn't sure what kind of tea it was but it smelled absolutely heavenly. Suddenly, sharp, gray eyes snapped up to meet his own curious gaze and Eren gulped before taking a step back, not realizing he had sort of invaded the Commander's space by leaning in to get a better look at the tea. 

"I would ask why the hell you're wandering around at this hour but that would be a stupid ass question seeing as you have a mug in your hand."

"Ah, yeah..." he answered awkwardly, cradling the hot mug between his hands and absorbing the warmth. "Couldn't sleep. Why are you awake?" he asked, then seemed to realize his mistake when he noticed the displeased expression on the shorter raven's face. "Sir." he tacked on. 

"None of your business." the older man grunted as he finished preparing his own cup of tea. Disposing of all his things and making sure his mess was cleaned up, Levi turned to leave. "Once you're done with that tea, get your ass straight back to bed. I don't tolerate late risers." 

"Y-Yes, sir. Of course."

Eren watched as Levi left the mess hall and took a turn toward the Port Observatory which he found odd. Wasn't the Captain's Cabin above the CIC on deck 1? Why was Levi going to the Observatory instead of his own room? He was almost tempted to follow after his CO, just for curiosities sake, but Levi had seemed pretty clear about that last order and Eren was not about to go against a direct order. It was already bad enough he'd started out on the wrong foot with the Commander. Maybe that old saying was true: Never meet your heroes. 

Still, it's not like Eren had ever had any delusions about Levi. The man was everything he had ever heard about whispered among other starry-eyed recruits and bitter, spurned veterans. He was cold, distant and just as much of a hardass if not more so. Eren had heard rumors about his overall aloof behavior towards most things and his complete disregard for politics and Bureaucracy but maybe the one delusion he did have about his famous Commander was that Eren had always been under the impression the man took orders from no one and yet, Keith Shadis had told him otherwise. Levi was a true Alliance Soldier through and through and the one thing he had never been known for doing was disobeying an order from his superiors. That... he found slightly surprising. 

Commander Levi seemed like the type to do things his own way and yet, that wasn't the case. Ending that thought process, Eren finally felt calm enough to hopefully have a successful attempt at sleeping. He yawned as he dumped the cold remainders of his tea into the small sink before he washed his used mug and set it aside to dry. Then, finally, he headed back towards the crew's quarters but not before stopping briefly in the corridor to glance back toward the door of the Portside observatory. The door was shut, unsurprisingly, and perhaps for good reason but that little mystery would have to wait for another time.

\-- **M** \--

Two days later found the crew of the Titan coming to a halt when Erwin finally beeped in to issue out their first mission and what a hell of a mission it was.

 _"Commander,"_ The blond Councilor greeted through the vid comm. 

"Smith," Levi greeted back with a nod. "What's the situation?" 

_"First, apologies for making you and your crew wait for orders. Things have been a little hectic here in the human embassy since you left port."_

"Is it Cerberus?" Hanji asked next. Naturally, she joined Levi in the Comm room, her being his second in command.

 _"I'm not entirely sure but I have my suspicions."_ The Councilor sighed. _"But that's not why I'm contacting you. I've got two leads for you and your crew to chase down, Commander."_

"Two?" The Commander frowned. "That means--"

_"Two ground teams, yes."_

"Tch. Shit." 

_"Will that be a problem?"_ Erwin asked, concern coloring his tone.

"No." Hanji answered for him with a knowing smirk on her face. "He's just being a grouch about being saddled with a new, younger crew." 

"You mean 'inexperienced' and 'bratty'." the raven clarified with a scowl. "Erwin, two ground teams seems a bit like overkill, don't you think? My squad can handle whatever it is alone." 

_"Negative, Commander. That's another thing I wanted to speak with you about."_

"Meaning?"

With a clearing of her throat, Hanji took a step forward and spoke in lieu of allowing Erwin to do so. The Councilor of course didn't object. 

"Well, I may have failed to mention it to you, but, Mike and Nanaba won't be joining us."

"What?" Levi growled in a pointed voice. "You told me we'd be picking them up from the colony they were posted at as soon as we got orders from Erwin." 

"That is what I said, wasn't it?" she chuckled. "But you see, I recently got into contact with Nanaba and as it would turn out, she and Mike were relieved of duty." 

"Why?"

"She's pregnant, Levi." 

"..." 

At Levi's prolonged silence, Hanji exchanged worried glances with her husband. 

"Did we... did we break him?" she asked. 

_"Possibly."_ Erwin answered with no small amount of amusement in his voice. _"He'll snap out of it. Eventually."_

"... I'm gonna kill him." The Commander suddenly said. 

"Kill who?" Hanji asked curiously. 

"Mike. I'm gonna kill him." the raven clarified. "Just where the hell does he get off knocking up my crew's best biotic?" 

Blinking in surprise at his words, the scientist suddenly burst into laughter, earning her a withering glare from the Commander. 

_"Levi, they're married. Things like this happen."_ Erwin explained. 

"I don't give a fuck." Levi huffed back. "Three months of dry-dock and those two decide to go at it like a couple of horny rabbits?" 

"Oh, Levi." Hanji said through the last of her petering laughter. "You just don't get it. It's because you're single."

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" 

_"It has everything to do with it, Commander."_ The Councilor chuckled. _"In our line of work, there's no guarantees any of us will come back. Surely, you of all people understand that."_

"Yeah, and? People die. This is the Alliance Military. Everyone knows the risks involved." 

"That's just it, Levi." Hanji said softly. "When you find someone that loves you and who loves you back, knowing full well that you may not come back to each other from one day to the next, you have to take every advantage that you can to be with that person. We can't be angry at Mike and Nanaba for doing just that." 

"Tch, maybe you two lovesick idiots can't but I can. Now I'll have to replace them with two of these snot-nosed brats." 

_"Levi, give this crew a little more credit. They may be young, but they're some of the best recruits of their graduating year."_

Levi gave a sardonic snort at that, "Talent and skill don't mean shit to me. What I care about is experience. An experienced soldier who has seen death and ruin is someone I want backing me up because that soldier understands what it means to sacrifice and survive. Do you honestly think any of these kids have seen a war torn world before?" 

_"Perhaps not, but you can't fault them for their inexperience. You'll need two ground teams and I suggest you put them together soon, Commander."_

"Damn it, Smith." Levi cursed quietly. "... Fine. I understand. Forward the mission details to Petra."

 _"Very well, Commander. Do you have any suggestions for who will be leading the second ground team?"_ Erwin asked. 

"Not a damn clue."

_"From what I understand, you've a Corporal in your ranks?"_

"... Corp. Mikasa Ackerman, yes. Why do you ask?" 

_"If you're fine with it, I highly suggest you allow them to lead the second ground team. Seeing as they're ranked Corporal, they should have some experience leading squads of their own by now."_

"Heh," Levi chuckled sarcastically. "Once an Alliance War Strategist, always an Alliance War Strategist?" 

_"Old habits die hard, Commander."_ the Councilor chuckled back. _"Do ensure Dr. Zoe's safety, Levi."_

"Don't worry your precious eyebrows, Erwin. Her ass is staying on the ship."

"Hey." Hanji pouted. "I'll have you both know that I can handle myself just fine in combat. I'm a master at firing a Shotgun."

"We know." Erwin and Levi said in unison.

_"Then, I wish you luck on this new mission, Commander. Godspeed."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it really that surprising that Eren has PTSD? It probably shouldn't be by now. Ooh, but look, plot development! This chapter was a little filler-ish, but starting next chapter things will start getting exciting.


	3. Taking Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _'♪ Get ready 'cause here I come_  
>  _I'm about to come and get me some_  
>  _Hot as a smoking gun_  
>  _I'm dangerous, so dangerous ♪'_
> 
>  
> 
> **[Dangerous](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsvmZ9JwAas)** \- **Royal Deluxe**

Levi had poured over the roster multiple times by now, had read the dossiers on each N7 crew member and in the end had determined who would best support him and his second ground team. There was no doubt in his mind that Erwin was right about Corporal Mikasa Ackerman being the best suited option to lead the second squad, but with her leading a second ground team, that only left two other N7 operatives to chose from for his own squad and both of those options were Eren Jaeger and Jean Kirstein. It wasn't enough that those two argued and bickered like cats and dogs, but Jean was the pilot and therefore couldn't leave the ship.

 

That left only Eren. He was listed as a biotic, though a lot about his implants were confidential. Levi found this strange, of course, but for now, he couldn't waste any time looking into it. He needed to assemble his two teams and get the hell on with this mission -- of which he knew little about. Erwin mentioned he had leads and yet the only information they could get was that there had been reports of strange Cerberus activity near a small colony on the planet Karanes before all reports from the colony stopped altogether, hence, why they needed two ground teams -- to strike both locations at once to reduce the risk of letting Cerberus get away. It was all a little too risky for Levi's tastes, but in this case, he'd have to trust Erwin's instincts. He always had in the past and the man had yet to be wrong, about anything. 

 

 _"Ackerman, Jaeger, Arlert. Meet me down in the shuttle bay ASAP."_ Levi beeped in over the comm system. Then, without wasting any time, the Commander was turning to head down to the Shuttle bay himself. 

 

He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of going on a mission with two brats, barely two and half years out of boot camp, but Mikasa's dossier had been quite impressive for her brief time enlisted with the Alliance and Eren's dossier, while not as impressive, still demonstrated that he could handle himself very well in close combat, meaning he was essential to have when things got messy. Of course, Levi hadn't missed the little side notes jotted down by all his previous CO's mentioning his little temper issue. The Commander would straighten that out real quick if Jaeger decided to mouth of to him while they were on this mission. 

 

In fact, he intended to make it perfectly clear right as he stepped off the elevator and into the shuttle bay. Their Shuttle pilot, Gunther, was already on standby near the shuttle saluting Levi as he passed. The raven dismissed him with a subtle nod of acknowledgement before he walked over to meet the three soldiers he summoned minutes earlier. He was slightly pleased to see that they had arrived before him and all three looked eager and ready to go. 

 

"We're going groundside." he announced before walking over to his own locker. "But first, let me make something very clear to the three of you." Grabbing his N7 chest plate, Levi carried the heavy armor over to a weapon's bench before he turned to address the three young soldiers with a solemn frown. "Let it be known here and now that I will not tolerate anyone disobeying my orders. If I tell you to fucking do something, you do it. I don't give a shit if you disagree with me, I don't give a fuck if you don't like something; you listen, you follow orders and you try not to let anyone shoot me. Got it?" 

 

"Aye, aye, Commander!" Arlert and Jaeger nodded. Mikasa simply stayed quiet. 

 

"Problem, Corporal?" Levi asked. 

 

"Not a problem, sir. Just... curious about something." her voice was softer than Levi was expecting, quieter. Had the shuttle bay not been so quiet, he probably wouldn't have heard her. 

 

"Ask. I may not tolerate insubordination but I also encourage my crew to speak their minds when they're uncomfortable about something." he explained. It was the absolute truth too. He liked a soldier with enough free will to ask questions when they felt like something was wrong. 

 

"I was just wondering how this squad formation is going to work out exactly. Both Eren and I are biotics, and we're both Vanguards while Armin is a Tech specialist. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming you can only take one biotic with you, Commander." 

 

"Ah," the raven-haired commander realized. She had already caught on, then? Good. It meant less explaining on Levi's end. He hated explaining shit. "No, you're not wrong, Corporal. There's going to be two ground teams and you'll be leading the second team in my absence." 

 

"Seriously?" Eren said in disbelief. "Mikasa, that's awesome." he praised. Huh. For a second there, Levi was expecting the brunet to protest or whine about not being able to lead his own squad for this mission.

 

"Everyone knows you've got the best leadership skills among our entire graduating class." Armin smiled at the taller girl. "You'll do great." he encouraged. 

 

"Alright, enough chit-chat." the Commander interrupted. All this fluffy encouragement and camaraderie was giving him flashbacks of things he'd rather not recall at the moment. "Ackerman, you already know what you need to do. Your squad will be taking the second shuttle. Jaeger, Arlert, you're with me."

 

"You mean, we're going to be your team for this mission, sir?" Armin asked, his wide cerulean eyes seemed only slightly terrified but Levi could trace the tiniest bit of awe too. "B-But we're not that experienced in field combat -- at least, I'm not. Eren and Mikasa are more experienced than me--" 

 

"Arlert," the Commander interjected in a firm tone. "If you don't think you can handle this mission, then your ass can stay behind. I'll find someone else to fill your spot." 

 

"He can handle it, sir." Eren answered for him. Voice strong and determined and turquoise eyes burning with confidence. "Armin is one of the best damn tech specialists you could ever ask for."

 

"Hmph," Levi scoffed quietly. "We'll see about that. Now, if you're all finished talking, suit up. We're going groundside in five minutes." 

 

"Sir!"

 

Well, at least Levi knew what he was dealing with now. Alert came off as a little nervous and unsure, while Jaeger was his exact polar opposite. Outspoken, confident, sure of himself -- Levi had a feeling he'd be dealing with some impulsiveness on Eren's part. He couldn't say for sure until they were out there on the field and in the thick of things. Mikasa on the other hand was the definition of a perfect soldier. Level-headed, precautionary, well-prepared. She was by far the one that Levi held high hopes for, especially on this mission. He had a good feeling about her. 

 

"Squad Levi, prepare for shuttle drop in one minute!" Gunther announced before the man disappeared into the shuttle. 

 

"Alright," Levi heard Eren say from behind him as the Commander headed for the shuttle. "This is it, Mika. Remember everything we learned in N7 training." 

 

"I should be telling _you_ that." the other girl snorted in a fond manner. It was the first time Levi had heard her speak with any kind of emotion in her voice, no matter how slight. "Remember your training. Don't lose your head out there. And don't--"

 

"Don't get shot." Armin and Eren said in perfect unison. "We know."

 

"Just making sure." Mikasa huffed. "Alright. See you guys back on the ship."

 

"See ya."

 

"On the shuttle, brats." Levi called back to them. "Nobody's waiting around for you here."

 

Armin was the first to rush past the Commander and onto the shuttle like a fire had been lit under his feet. Eren followed after him closely, though at a less frantic pace. Levi shut the shuttle door behind him and his two newest squad members got strapped into their seats. Levi, however, chose not to buckle up, opting to stay standing while overlooking Gunther as he took their shuttle down to their destination. Their mission was taking place on a planet called Karanes, a red planet, similar to the rocky, barren surface of Mars yet twice it's size. There was breathable oxygen on the planet, seeing as it had been the sight of a very small colony still in it's early stages of infancy. 

 

"Alright, listen up." The dark-haired Commander turned to address his team who sat in their seats securely. "Councilor Smith has two leads for us. We're going to chase down one, Corporal Ackerman's squad is chasing down the other. Cerberus has been seen sniffing around here lately in the past few weeks, a report made by the colony settled here less than a year ago. Erwin's been getting strange reports from the colonists about Cerberus' strange activities, but up to about a couple of days ago, the reports stopped coming in altogether."

 

"Wait," Armin snorted in disbelief. "The Councilor doesn't think..." he trailed off as he seemed to go deep in thought about something and Levi could tell the blond was already putting all the pieces together. "He thinks Cerberus did something to the colonists?" came Armin's next, horrified question. 

 

"Exactly." Levi said without blinking. "He's been tracking this group for years and as of late, they've been doing some pretty shady things. I should know, I've had first hand experience with them and their sick, twisted experiments once before." he said with disgust on his face, like he was going to spit at any moment for having just thought of Cerberus and all it's horrors. "They've been trying to disguise themselves as a pro-human advancement group, but that's just a ruse. They're a bunch of terrorists."

 

The Commander didn't miss the fact that Eren had been extremely quiet this whole time. In fact, his entire expression read something akin to anger, though he was clearly trying to hide this fact by staring down at the floor. It wasn't helping. Levi could see right through him. Something about Cerberus upset him and the Commander had a feeling the brunet knew more about them then he was letting on. But, that was a topic for another day. Right now, Levi needed to make sure his squad was focused and ready to see some shit, because if this Cerberus facility was anything like the last one he and his old squad found, then they were in for it.

 

"Our objective is to find out what happened to the colonists. Ackerman's team will be dropped off near the colony's outpost first, we'll make contact with them as soon as we touch ground. Us, on the other hand, we'll be heading straight into one of those damn underground facilities."

Suddenly, to Levi's mild surprise, Eren spoke next. "You said you've encountered Cerberus and their experiments before, Commander." he said, finally lifting his intense gaze from the floor so those burning eyes could meet Levi's. He found it slightly unsettling just how luminous and bright the brunet's eyes were, even in the current shitty lighting. "What... did you find, if it's okay for me to ask." 

 

"We found a load of messed up shit, is what." the raven said bluntly. "It was two years ago, just before the attack on the Citadel. My squad and I had answered a distress signal from one of Cerberus's outposts. I don't think they ever intended for an Alliance ship to receive the signal from their beacon but we did and we investigated, naturally. What we found was... a lot of creepy shit thanks to their experiments. Even I'm not entirely clear on the whole thing but it was a whole fuck ton of messed up." 

 

"Were there..." Eren paused to swallow. "Did you find any _human_ experiments?" he asked.

 

"No. Nothing in that facility was human."

 

"I... I see." 

 

Eren grew extremely quiet once again, and this time, Levi decided to leave him be. Clearly there was something disturbing the brunet but now was not the time to address it. He only hoped that Eren would be able to focus when the time came because not only was Levi's life on the line, so was theirs. He may not have the highest opinion of these brats, but that didn't mean Levi wanted to see them killed because of their own stupidity. 

 

"Cerberus Facility in sight, Commander. ETA one minute." 

 

"Good." Levi nodded. "Keep it steady, Gunther. We don't want to alert those bastards of our presence just yet." Lifting his left arm, Levi activated his omni-tool. "Squad Ackerman, what's your position?" 

 

A bit of radio static passed between the tense silence in the shuttle and Levi could tell that it unsettled the blond Lieutenant at first but then, finally, they heard the feedback they wanted. 

 

_"Squad Levi, this is Corporal Mikasa Ackerman. We're just about to touch groundside at the colony's outpost."_

 

"Good. Leave your suit's comm feed on, Corporal. We need to make sure we stay in contact with each other at all times, understood?" 

 

More radio static, and then. _"Aye, Aye, Commander. Turning on my suits comm and connecting to the channel."_

 

"When you get to the outpost, do a sweep and give me a report of your findings. But, remember, take it nice and slow, Ackerman." 

 

_"Understood."_

 

Levi decided to check his weapons one last time before Gunther dropped them off at their final destination. As a highly trained Soldier, Levi was an expert in all fire arms, but he was partial to his Semi-automatic Assault Rifles and Sniper Rifles. He carried a lot of weapons, which always caused his CO's to scold him for not being mindful about the weight he was carrying, armor and additional weapons included, but he had proved time and time again that the added weight of his various weapons never hindered his performance. Still, he did try to use lightweight material when modding his weapons these days and it helped. 

 

"Get ready for drop off, Commander!" 

 

"Alright, squad Levi." the Commander said as he holstered his pistol against his thigh. "Be ready." 

 

"Aye, Aye, Commander Levi!"

\-- **M** \--

Levi was the first to touch ground, kicking up a small cloud of red dust behind him when he landed. Eren followed him closely, with Armin doing his best to keep up. Thanks to the oxygen on the planet, they didn't need to wear their helmets but that just meant they were easier targets for snipers and that thought just had the Commander on higher alert, though he found no reason to worry much due to the fact that the planet was mostly flat with little natural rock formations. It would be extremely hard for their enemies to hide snipers in the vast, wide-open.

 

 _"This is Squad Ackerman reporting in. We've touched ground and are currently making our way towards the outpost, Commander."_

 

Hearing the Corporal report in, Levi halted the movements of his squad by holding up his right hand and turning it into a fist. This gave him the opportunity to analyze his surroundings while the Corporal gave him her full report. 

 

"Easy, Corporal. Report what you see." He was met with radio silence for a few seconds, which irked him but Levi reminded himself to try and stay calm. This was a new crew and they didn't know how he worked just yet.

 

 _"So far, the outpost looks empty, Commander. We haven't seen any signs of movement nor have we heard anything aside from radio silence. It's like... it's deserted."_

 

"Damn," Levi cursed. "Then we may be too late already."

 

_"Orders, sir?"_

 

"Continue your sweep, Corporal. My squad and I will head into the first facility. Once your sweep is done, head toward the second facility."

 

_"Understood."_

 

"Alright, squad. You heard Ackerman's report for yourselves. Let's head toward that facility, double time. Who knows what sick experiments those Cerberus bastards are putting those colonists through." 

 

"If they haven't just killed them already." Eren murmured under his breath.

 

"All the more reason to hurry." Armin urged.

 

"Arlert, use your scope to look ahead and see if that facility has any turrets." Levi instructed as he continued to lead his team toward the small above ground dome. 

 

"A-Aye, Aye, Commander." 

 

So far, Eren and Armin were keeping up with him but that wasn't enough for him to go on. He wouldn't know what the brats were truly capable of until they were under fire and it looked like they might be very soon. 

 

"Commander! They have a patrol unit." 

 

"How many?" 

 

"Uh... s-six, I think." 

 

"You think or you know, Arlert? Figure it out!" the Commander snapped. 

 

"S-Six! They have six in the unit, sir."

 

"Armed?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I can take care of them, Commander." Eren eagerly volunteered. 

 

"No." Levi dismissed. "I'll handle them with my sniper rifle. You just cover me." 

 

"... Aye, aye, sir."

 

The Commander could hear the disappointment in Eren's voice but he wasn't about to let his only biotic handle a small patrol unit that he himself could take out in less than a minute. Once again halting his small squad full stop, Levi was again reminded of just how open they were, but at their distance they should be alright. He didn't have the best precision scope the galaxy had to offer for no reason. 

 

He got down on one knee and grabbed his sniper rifle from his back. Eren and Armin did as they were instructed and made sure the Commander wouldn't be flanked by anything while he was focused on taking out the six Cerberus officers patrolling the outside of the facility. 

 

"Shields up." he reminded the younger two. "They're going to try to shoot back at us but that's what we have shields for."

 

"Commander, I could create a barrier to protect us from any counter fire." 

 

"Save your energy, Jaeger." Levi huffed. "We might need that barrier for something else. I can handle six guys." 

 

As he said this, Levi lined up his first shot and took it on an inhale of breathe. His target had been one of the officer's towards the back of the facility, the one that was furthest away. When his bullet made contact with the Cerberus officer's head, the confusion started and Levi had to be quick to take out the remaining five before they caught onto them. He made short work of the next three officers who had all gathered near the first dead officer to try and figure out what happened, but the last two officers of the patrol were going to give him some trouble. 

 

"Damn it." the Commander cursed. "I had hoped they'd be dumb enough not to have noticed the gunfire so soon but looks like I underestimated these guys. Move in! They're behind cover and can't see us."

 

Levi led the charge first, holstering his sniper rifle and opting for his shotgun this time. It was meant for short range bursts but that was the whole point. Just as they approached the facility, one of the officers popped out from behind his cover and took aim but Levi was too quick, firing a high powered shell right into the man's chest and sending him reeling back as he bleed out. 

 

"Now, where's the last fucker at?"

 

"Scanners are still picking him up, Commander. He's hiding." 

 

"Should we try and flush him out?" Came Eren's question. 

 

"No. He'll show himself." Glancing over at the entrance to the underground facility, Levi noticed the access pad and narrowed his eyes. "Arlert, I need you to bypass the security codes on that front door. Think you can handle it?" 

 

A snort came from his right and Levi already recognized it as Eren. Why was he not surprised the little shit had a comment to make about his questioning of Arlert's tech skills? 

 

"Armin's the best hacker you'll ever meet, Commander. He's got this." 

 

"Don't worry, Sir." came Arlert's slightly more confident voice as he broke from their tight formation. "When it comes to tech and computers, I'm your man." 

 

"Good. Get it done. Jaeger and I will cover you." 

 

Levi stayed close to Armin as he cautiously approached the access pad on the door and started using his omni-tool to start bypassing all it's security codes. Sharp gray eyes scanned the perimeter repeatedly, feeling just the tiniest bit anxious due to the last Cerberus officer from the decimated patrol unit still hiding somewhere. Eren seemed just as restless about the situation as he did, although the brunet was much more obvious about his frustrations. Finally, Levi decided they would need to flush the guy out to avoid anymore future problems. 

 

"Alright, Jaeger." he said with a heavy sigh. "It doesn't look like this bastard will be showing up anytime soon. Guess he's a lot smarter than his friends." 

 

"Just say the word, Commander." Eren said in a low voice. "I'll flush him out." 

 

"Break left. Try to smoke him out my way." 

 

"Understood!" 

 

Before Levi could even blink, Eren was rushing off rounding the dome-like structure, Heavy pistol drawn. Levi continued to cover Armin but he slowly moved off towards the blond's right where he knew the Cerberus officer would be running. He heard a commotion coming from a short distance, the sound of an assault rifle being fired and then two rounds from Eren's pistol. He heard a shout, then the familiar sound of a biotic charge and all he saw next was a strange flash of energy followed by the Cerberus officer flying towards him, the protective visor of his helmet smashed in. 

 

Levi kept his drawn weapon aimed at the officer, even as his lifeless body dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. Then, Eren reappeared, his right fist drawn back and cloaked with an odd glowing turquoise energy. It was unlike anything Levi had ever seen and it reminded him of the strange color of Eren's eyes back on the shuttle. He watched the biotic carefully as Eren approached him, fist still ready to go but the glowing ceased after a point. He had holstered his pistol and Levi did the same once he did a quick reading of his scanner to make sure there were no other enemies on the radar. They were in the clear, for now. 

 

"All enemies down, Commander." Eren reported almost proudly. 

 

"I told you not to use your biotics until I said so, Jaeger." the raven couldn't help chastising as he disregarded the taller brunet. "Next time, just do as I say and don't try and show off. It'll get you nowhere on my team." he warned, just before turning to walk away leaving a very deflated Lieutenant behind. 

 

"Permission to speak, _Sir_?" Eren asked as he followed after his Commanding Officer.

 

"Denied." Levi said without an ounce of hesitation.

 

"Commander--"

 

"I said permission to speak denied, Lieutenant." he snapped again, feeling the last of his patience wearing dangerously thin already. 

 

"What is your problem with me!?" the brunet suddenly shouted in frustration. 

 

The Commander halted suddenly, back absolutely rigid, shoulders squared back firmly. He clenched his jaw, fisted his hands a couple of times and took a deep breathe before he finally turned and settled his newest Lieutenant with a withering glare that would have made lesser men whimper in fear. Granted, Eren seemed to see the error of his ways as soon as Levi's fierce glare found him, immediately looking down at the ground in what Levi hoped was shame.

 

"Listen here, Lieutenant Jaeger." The commander took a step forward, closing in on his taller subordinate and further invading his space, thus making the brunet very visibly uncomfortable. "I think I made it very fucking clear back on the ship that I was not going to tolerate insubordination of any kind and yet here you are mouthing off to me." he growled in a low voice.

 

"I didn't-- that wasn't my intention, sir." Eren answered lamely. 

 

"You want to know what my problem with you is?" the Commander suddenly snorted. That earned him the younger man's attention as those large, viridian green eyes finally looked up to meet his challenging gaze. "My problem with you is that I don't know a single fucking thing about you, nor do I have any reason to trust you and you've just given me even more reason to distrust you and believe me, Jaeger, that is not a good thing." 

 

"Levi-- Sir, that's--"

 

"Enough." the raven barked. "Either you start following my orders or you go back to the ship. There's no room for doubt or mistakes out here and if I can't trust someone on my own team to follow one simple fucking order, then there's no hope. Trust between squad members is the most vital thing on the battle field and as of right now, you have none of mine." 

 

"Got it!" Armin suddenly shouted excitedly from his spot crouched before the access pad. 

 

Just as the Commander was about to turn to walk back toward the blond, he heard the sound of Eren's heavy armored boots scrape against the rocky terrain. 

 

"Commander!" he called hesitantly. 

 

"Save it, Jaeger." Levi sighed. "This isn't the time or place to be discussing this. We have a mission to complete and a colony to save." 

 

"... Understood, Commander. I'll... I'll follow orders." 

 

"We'll see about that." the raven-haired commander said under his breath as he finally walked away to approach the blond tech specialist. "Good work, Arlert. Have we triggered any alarms inside?" 

 

"None, sir. It looks like Cerberus still doesn't know we're here." 

 

"Good. Get back into formation and follow my lead." taking his assault rifle out of it's holster, Levi decided to check in on the second team before entering the facility. "Squad Ackerman, come in."

 

A bit of static came through but ultimately, the Corporal didn't take as long as she did the first time to answer his sound off. 

 

_"Reading you loud and clear, Commander."_

 

"Report in, Corporal. What's your position." 

 

 _"We're just finishing up our sweep of the outpost, sir. We've found no signs of the colonists but we did find evidence of a fire fight taking place some time ago. We're moving into the first facility as soon as our sweep is finished."_

 

"Good." Levi said with a nod. "Be prepared to engage the enemy when you get there, Corporal. They had a unit on patrol at the second facility, don't be surprised to find one on your end as well."

 

 _"We'll be ready."_ Mikasa said with sheer determination in her voice. Levi was mildly impressed so far. 

 

"SSV Titan, this is Squad Levi. We're about to descend underground. We may lose contact for a few minutes. Standby." 

 

_"This is SSV Titan, Commander. Standing by. Good Luck."_

 

"Let's do this." the Commander exhaled softly. Already, he was preparing himself for the worst.

\-- **M** \--

Just as Levi had predicted, as soon as they entered the underground facility their comms were scrambled for several minutes making contact with the ship or the second ground team impossible until they were reconnected. The Commander considered it lucky that their scanners were still working, at least. So far, they hadn't picked up on any enemies in their nearest vicinity but that still unsettled Levi. No enemies popping up on scanners meant they were going into each new room without the slightest idea as to what to expect, but that's where basic human instinct came into play. When Levi couldn't rely on technology for survival, he used the basic instincts he was born with and hoped his squad wouldn't fall behind him.

 

"Keep the formation tight," he reminded the two younger officers flanking either side of him as they slowly made their way through the narrow corridors of the facility. "The last thing we need is these Cerberus bastards getting the jump on us." 

 

"Right," he heard Armin say in a wobbly voice before he swallowed thickly. "So, you said you'd found one of Cerberus's underground facilities before, Commander." 

 

"Yeah. Right before everything went to hell on the Citadel." Levi said. 

 

"What... did you find there exactly?" came the blond technician's hesitant question. 

 

 _"Rachni."_ Hanji's voice suddenly beeped in, startling the trio of soldiers as they came to a full stop. _"Connection reestablished, Levi. Good to have eyes on the situation again."_

 

"Fucking Hanji." the Commander hissed to himself. "Remind me to bust a cap in your ass when I get back." 

 

 _"Now, now, Commander. It wasn't my intention to scare you. But, to answer Armin's question, we encountered Rachni--and no, you didn't mishear. I said Rachni. The very same Rachni that were supposedly annihilated by the Krogan during the Rachni wars over 2,000 years ago."_

 

"Wow," Armin breathed. "H-How is that even possible?" 

 

 _"We may never know."_ Hanji could be heard sighing and Levi knew the topic still frustrated her. She hated not knowing. _"We were forced to abandon the investigation of that secret Cerberus facility when we got word about the Citadel and when we returned to the very same site a week later, the facility had been destroyed. Not a single thing left behind except dirt and rubble."_

 

"Yeah, well, with any luck we'll encounter another batch of Rachni." Levi grumbled sarcastically.

 

 _"Try not to get my hopes up too high, Levi."_ came the scientist's laughter. 

 

"We're coming up on a door." the Commander announced as they approached a large automated door. He made sure to stop a good distance away so as to not trigger it to open. They didn't know what would be on the other side of it. "Eren." he called. 

 

"Sir?" the brunet answered earnestly. 

 

"We're going to need a barrier. Think you can handle that?" Gray eyes turned to assess the Lieutenant's expression. Luminous teal met his gaze head on and Levi knew he didn't need to spell it out for the biotic. He was asking if he could trust Eren to follow this one simple order and Eren answered him with a determined nod of his head.

 

"I can handle it, Commander." Inhaling deeply, the brunet holstered his pistol and stepped forward. "Just leave it to me." 

 

Watching Eren step in front of himself and Armin, the Commander took a moment to just watch as the younger man focused and continued to breathe deeply in and out. Barriers weren't exactly supposed to be a strong point for Vanguards but any biotic was capable of using the simplest of barriers and Levi was asking for no more than that. Still, he should have known by now, Eren was anything but ordinary and he proved that point once more when he produced one of the best barriers Levi had ever seen. True, he didn't know very much about Biotics and how their powers worked, on a detailed level, but he knew the basics and from what he understood and from what he'd seen of other biotics himself, no one had ever been able to produce such a flawless barrier. This only confirmed his earlier suspicions about Eren but now was not the time to address them. 

 

"Jaeger, don't push yourself." Levi warned him. 

 

"I'm not." the brunet argued back. "You asked if I could handle it and I said I could." 

 

"I may not know a lot about biotics but I do know that there's no way you can possibly maintain such a perfect barrier." the Commander retorted.

 

"No offense, Commander Levi, Sir, but you haven't even seen what I'm capable of. I'm nowhere near my limit." 

 

With a suck of his teeth, Levi nudged the Lieutenant forward with the blunt end of his rifle and that earned him a smirk tossed back at him over Eren's shoulder as he took a few steps forward. 

 

"Don't get cocky, Jaeger. Just maintain that barrier until we're through that door. Our scanners aren't picking up any enemies signatures and that's cause enough for worry." 

 

"Aye, aye, Commander. Just stay behind me and stay within the barrier." 

 

Armin could be heard snorting from behind Levi, "That won't be hard. It's huge, as usual." 

 

"I can make it smaller, if you want." Eren snarked back. 

 

"Don't do us any favors." was Armin's amused answer. 

 

"Focus." Levi snapped at the both of them. "We're almost at the door. Be ready for anything that might pop out."

 

He could hear his own heart beating in his ears, the rush of his own blood as he prepared for the worst. He recalled the last Cerberus facility they investigated and the horrors they encountered, Levi's right armed tensed and his index finger braced against the trigger of his assault rifle. He watched as the automated door read their heat signatures, recognizing them as organic objects and hissing open to reveal... an entire unit of Cerberus Commandos armed to the teeth. 

 

"Shit!" Eren hissed as their small squad suddenly came under attack. "Don't leave the barrier!" he reminded his two squadmates before pushing through.

 

"Arlert, how's your aim?" Levi asked as they tried to stay close to Eren who moved forward towards the unit slowly. There were countless shock troopers, Levi almost couldn't keep estimate just how many but somehow he managed to count 13 of them. 

 

"Uh, well, I'm no sharp shooter but I'd like to think I'm adequate enough." the blond stammered as he fumbled around for his pistol. 

 

Adequate would have to do, Levi decided. "Doesn't matter. Use your Overload on their weapons."

 

"My overload," the blond breathed. "Right. Charging it up now. I'll need to get closer." 

 

"Just stay behind the barrier, Ar." Eren reminded him. Had they not been under a shower of bullets and gunfire, Levi might have found the time to actually be impressed with how long the brunet was able to hold up a barrier of this quality. "I'll try and get us in closer." 

 

The Commander did his best to pick off some of the shock troopers so that there would be fewer enemies for Armin to deal with. Naturally, he couldn't expect his only technician to deal with 13 Commandos all on his own. Levi was just grateful that there didn't seem to be any snipers in the vicinity. He would have to have a long discussion with both Erwin and Hanji about why Cerberus wasn't being picked up on any of their scanners.

 

"Overload is ready, Commander!" Armin announced not a moment too soon. 

 

"You know what to do, Arlert." 

 

Taking a deep, deep breath, the blond soldier nodded before he moved towards the front of Eren's barrier. So far, the brunet's flawless barrier had stayed that way, allowing gunfire to bounce right off but still the Cerberus troopers continued to empty their clips in some vain hope that the barrier would eventually break. Armin took aim, the [omni-tool](https://laurademers.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/kasumi-02-o.jpg) on his right arm buzzing with a violet electrostatic energy before thrusting it at a cluster of troopers gathered before him. The [Overload](https://i1.wp.com/samurai-gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/overload.gif?resize=480%2C270&ssl=1) did it's intended job, and then some by catching other troopers within it's diameter. Their enemies weapons overheated simultaneously and the rain of bullets ceased giving them the advantage they needed. 

 

"Nice, Ar!" Eren cheered. 

 

"Don't celebrate just yet, Jaeger." Levi reminded him. "We've still gotta take care of the enemy."

 

"Don't worry, Commander." the brunet said confidently. "I'll take out the rest of this trash." 

 

"Jaeger," the Commander sighed. "... Fine, but don't take any chances." Maybe it was time to see what the kid was capable of, Levi thought. 

 

Once again, Levi was left a bit speechless by the young biotic standing before him, so tall, so sure of himself, so focused on his targets. The Commander watched as their protective barrier shrunk, Eren preparing to do something but as to what, Levi couldn't really be sure. At this point, he had already confirmed that Eren was a bit of a wild card but a damned powerful one. The oddly colored mass effect field that had previously been their barrier was now being channeled into Eren's right hand that soon turned into a tight fist as he draw it back. For a split second, Levi thought Eren was going to use another biotic charge, which in his head wasn't exactly the move they needed right now but he was proven wrong when Eren suddenly punched the empty air in front of him, sending a [Shockwave](https://i.makeagif.com/media/12-28-2015/SQY6T2.gif) straight towards the last few troopers and sending them all flying back a great distance, not a single man or woman left standing upright. 

 

Levi could even feel the aftermath of the shockwave in a blast of air that smacked him in the face and had him flinching just the tiniest bit. The only thought going through his mind as he observed the chaos left behind by Eren's biotic powers was how dangerous someone of Eren's caliber could be. It was no wonder most of his file had been sealed off as confidential. If anyone outside of the Alliance knew they had such a powerful biotic in their possession, who knew what the public would think. They would be terrified for sure. As it was, even Levi wasn't entirely sure how he felt about this, but that was a thought to dwell on at a later date. Right now, they needed to finish this mission. 

 

"Geez, Eren." he heard Armin breathe out behind him. "You could have held back a bit, couldn't you?" 

 

"Me? Hold back?" the brunet said through a snort of laughter. "It's like you don't even know me, Armin." 

 

When Eren turned to get behind Levi, reestablishing their previous V formation, their eyes caught and the younger soldier seemed almost... worried or concerned. Perhaps it had something to do with the suspicious way Levi eyed him, like a wary prey would eye an injured predator. 

 

"Sir?" he prompted Levi apprehensively. 

 

"Next time," the raven started as he returned to the head of their formation. "Warn me when you're going to completely decimate a room." 

 

"Yeah, Eren." Armin lightly mocked. That seemed to lighten the tense situation and Levi was silently grateful. They didn't need anymore problems on this mission as it was.

 

"Alright, Squad Levi. Let's finish our sweep and find those colonists." 

 

 _"Levi."_ Hanji's voice crackled in through their comms. _"I noticed that our scanners aren't picking up on Cerberus signatures. I'll have to take a look at that."_

 

"And?" Levi prompted irritably. "You obviously want me to do something in order to do that." 

 

_"See if you can find a piece of Cerberus tech. It can be anything but I would prefer a console or a computer."_

 

"Tch, fine. I'll see what we can find. You heard her, Arlert, Jaeger. If you happen to find any working computers or a security console, scan it and send your results back to Dr. Zoe." 

 

"Aye, aye, Commander." 

 

_"Thanks, guys. This will really help us out in the long run."_

 

Levi led his squad through the rest of the facility, surprised to find that they met with little resistance, aside from a stray trooper or two but they were able to take them out easily enough. The deeper they wandered into the underground labs, the more frustrated Levi became. There were no signs of the colonists anywhere. 

 

"Damn it," he cursed upon entering yet another empty laboratory. "Something's not right."

 

"Where are all the scientists? The researchers?" Armin asked as he approached yet another unlocked console. He scanned it with his omni-tool and sent the information back to Hanji on the Titan. "So many labs and yet there's no one to operate them?" 

 

"I was just wondering that myself." Levi huffed.

 

"We haven't found any evidence of the colonists, either." Eren piped up from the doorway. He was keeping watch while they searched the lab. "Do you think they have them held in the other facility?" 

 

"No." Levi dismissed immediately. "Ackerman would have already found something by now and she hasn't beeped in to report anything yet." 

 

"Do you think...?" Armin began but then suddenly trailed off. "Wait. I think I found something on this console. An exchange of e-mails between Cerberus operatives!" 

 

"What?" Levi rushed over towards the console where Armin was already tapping away to pull up e-mail after e-mail and a couple of audio logs. "Play the logs." 

 

Nodding, the blond did just that. Some of the files were corrupted and there was little they could get out of the audio logs, aside from the occasional word here or there. 

 

 _"-- Alliance is on to us... what should we--"_

 

"Wait," Levi paused. "Did you hear that?" 

 

"They already knew we were coming?" Armin asked more to himself than anyone else. 

 

"Looks like it." Eren sighed. "They probably moved the colonists before we even got here." 

 

"Squad Ackerman, do you read?" Levi beeped in over their comms. "Corporal, do you read me?" 

 

 _"Just barely, Commander."_ Mikasa's static-y voice crackled through. _"There's a lot of electrical interference on our end."_

 

"Have you found any signs of the colonists?" Levi was answered with more radio static before he finally heard the Corporal sigh heavily. 

 

 _"No."_ she answered regretfully. _"Just a lot of empty laboratories and a couple of patrols."_

 

"Damn." the Commander hissed. " _Damn it_. We've been wasting our time here then."

 

 _"What should we do now, sir?"_

 

Levi hated this shit. He hated having to give up when they were so fucking close. But they'd been outplayed and it was pointless for them to keep searching the facilities when the colonists clearly weren't here anymore. In a fit of frustration, Levi slammed his fist into an empty weapon's locker, denting the door in as he did so. Eren and Armin exchanged worried glances. 

 

"We're pulling out." Levi gritted out. "Retreat back to the surface and rendezvous with us for extraction."

 

Once again, the Commander was being forced to leave another Cerberus facility with more questions than answers. Eren looked like he wanted to argue but one harsh glare from his Commander had the brunet silently following Levi back up towards the surface without so much as another word.

\-- **M** \--

The mission ended in failure, for lack of a better word. Levi didn't often fail, it just wasn't something that he was used to, but the odds seemed ever against him lately. Cerberus was just one enemy and yet they kept slipping from his grasp. He knew he should be focusing on the Reapers and everything they entailed but with his current assignment being Cerberus, he found it hard to focus on anything else. Something about Cerberus just didn't sit right with him, from the very beginning.

 

Then, there was Eren Jaeger. The mysteriously powerful Biotic with a sealed file that currently resided on Levi's ship; who seemed to know something about Cerberus but was keeping his lips tightly zipped shut. Everything about Eren was strange and it only unsettled Levi more knowing that he had to work so closely with the young biotic. He didn't trust Eren as far as he could throw him, but just because Levi didn't trust him didn't mean he still couldn't utilize his powers and hopefully get him to spill whatever he knew about Cerberus. 

 

"Petra," Levi beeped over the comm in his cabin. "Send Eren Jaeger up to my cabin. I need to speak with him." 

 

_"Aye, aye, Commander. He's on his way up."_

 

The Commander slowly paced his cabin up and down as he waited, eyeing the fish tanks near the door and watching the colorful fish swim around. When Eren finally arrived at his cabin door, he knocked, which Levi found a bit strange but he answered him anyway. 

 

"Come in."

 

The door suddenly hissed open, revealing a freshly showered Eren in his Alliance fatigues. His long, chestnut hair was still damp and Levi noticed that the brunet kept anxiously running a hand through it as he entered Levi's cabin and glanced around nervously. 

 

"Wow." he commented upon seeing the large fish tanks. "Nice place you've got here, Commander." 

 

"Sit down, Lieutenant. We need to have a talk." 

 

He could practically hear Eren gulping as the younger soldier took a seat on the leather couch in Levi's cabin, his pants squeaking against the material as he sat down rigidly. Levi took the comfy chair directly adjacent Eren's spot on the couch and sat back, crossing one knee over the other as he pinned the brunet with a long, studious stare. 

 

"I think you know what this is about, Jaeger." Levi spoke first, his voice low but level and calm.

 

"I..." Eren hesitated, eyes shifting between Levi's and the floor. "I think I do, sir." 

 

"Then, let's not waste any time dancing around the subject. Care to explain your behavior on this last mission?" 

 

The brunet sat forward on the edge of the couch, his hands clasped together tightly between his parted legs. "Look, I know that I shouldn't have mouthed off to you like that but... I just felt like you weren't even giving me a chance to prove myself." he sighed. 

 

"You're right. I wasn't giving you a chance to prove yourself." Levi agreed. "But that's not what this mission was about." 

 

"I know it wasn't." he argued back. "I was just as focused on finding those colonists as anyone else, Commander." 

 

"Then that should have been your main concern, Jaeger. Not showing off to me. I don't give a shit about that." 

 

"You don't seem to trust me." 

 

"I don't." the raven flat-out admitted with the straightest face he could muster. "And I have no reason to." 

 

Eren seemed flabbergasted by this, "But, why!?" he all but demanded. 

 

"Because why should I trust someone who's file is sealed?" the Commander retaliated, grabbing a nearby datapad and tossing it onto the table for Eren to see for himself. It was his dossier. "I know next to nothing about you or your biotics and what little I do know about you is only through word of mouth by Keith Shadis himself." 

 

Grabbing the datapad, Eren was silent as he scrolled through the information on the datapad. Then, realization seemed to cross his features before he was looking up and meeting Levi's watchful gaze once more. 

 

"What do you want to know?" he suddenly asked. Well, Levi didn't expect it to be this easy. He had half-expected Eren to put up a fight to keep his secrets. "I'll tell you anything you want to know. Right here, right now." 

 

The Commander couldn't help but sigh as he reached over and took the datapad back, "Don't be so quick to sell all your secrets." he informed Eren. "I'm not interested in knowing everything. Just the important shit." 

 

"Ask." Eren said, resolve deep in his eyes. "I'll prove to you that I can be trusted." 

 

"Tch," Levi sucked his teeth. "What is your obsession with earning my trust?"

 

"Because I trust _you_ , Commander. I trust you to lead this crew and myself through any danger this galaxy has to offer. But, trust is a two way street." 

 

"Says who?" snorted the raven. 

 

"Ask." Eren repeated.

 

Well, if the kid was so determined to get this over with, Levi would hit him heavy straight out of the gate. The one question he wanted answered more than anything else at the moment. 

 

"What's your connection to Cerberus?" he asked with a raised brow. He watched Eren's determined expression quickly morph into one of absolute shock and uncertainty. "You know something about them. I can see it all over your face whenever you so much as hear the name 'Cerberus'." 

 

He took his time answering this question, seeing as it was obviously a very loaded one. Levi half-expected him to just try and deflect him or to feed him some bullshit excuse but what he got instead was probably the last thing Levi expected. 

 

"I... was experimented on by Cerberus." he said slowly, bright, luminous eyes trained on his hands that were still tightly clasped in front of him. Levi was almost surprised by the haunted look he found there as well, but then again, he supposed there had to be more behind the story. "My biotics--I'm sure you've already figured out they're not your typical L5n implants."

 

"That was going to be my next question, but go on." the Commander prompted. He knew trying to force information out of Eren wouldn't work, so instead he decided to approach this from a less aggressive angle. Let Eren spill what information he was comfortable with. He would simply sit and listen.

 

"It was a long time ago. I was just a kid, so I've had these powers all my life. Shadis didn't know about the experiments until I was a teenager." 

 

That earned Eren another snort from his Commander, "Of course, Keith knew about your biotics all along. He just failed to tell me. Not surprising." the older man mumbled to himself. 

 

"Shadis helped me get them under control." Eren replied with a soft smile of sorts. "I couldn't enroll in your typical academy for Biotics because if anyone else knew about the experiments done to me, I'd be locked away and poked and prodded until I was old and gray." 

 

"That could still happen." Levi pointed out. "But, I doubt the Alliance would risk it right now." 

 

"I know." the brunet sighed heavily. "I know that I'm a huge risk but I've got my Biotics under control. I've spent the last ten years of my life training with Shadis and I can handle myself. But, the Alliance had to be notified about my special case after I enlisted and, well, I've been monitored carefully ever since."

 

"Well, that explains why Keith managed to dump you with me." the older man sat forward with a sigh. 

 

"Yeah," came Eren's shaky laughter. Then, his tone turned deadly serious and it almost had chills running down Levi's spine when the young Lieutenant spoke next. "But, I assure you, Commander. No one has any more reason to hate Cerberus than I do." he finally lifted his eyes to meet Levi's once more and the Commander could see the ferocity behind his words. "No one."

 

Well, that was an argument Levi would have a difficult time refuting. Even if Eren was lying to him, he'd have to be one damn convincing actor to pull off such an intense look. The fire in his eyes told Levi more than any old sealed file or dossier would, so, he was inclined to believe him, at least when it came to Cerberus. 

 

"Alright, Jaeger." he finally said before moving to stand up. "I'll take your word for it, this time. As long as you and I can agree on one thing: Cerberus needs to be stopped." 

 

"When it comes to taking Cerberus down, you can absolutely rely on me, Commander." 

 

"Good. Then you're dismissed, Lieutenant."

 

Inhaling deeply, Levi stood in front of his fish tanks once more simply staring into the bright, blue artificial lights that gave the water it's fantastic color and illuminated the rainbow of fish. Funnily enough, Levi had thought the fish tanks completely unnecessary when he first moved into this cabin but now he could see the appeal behind having them in his personal quarters. 

 

"Before I go, could I ask something?" Eren spoke from his spot stood from the couch. 

 

"That depends." Levi mumbled back. 

 

"It's about that Cerberus facility you said you encountered two years ago." He heard Eren pause, like he was debating on whether or not he should continue this train of thought. "You said everything you found in that facility, it wasn't human." 

 

"That's right. Nothing in that facility could be considered human in the least." 

 

"Then, do you think we're too late to save the colonists?" came Eren's final question. Ah. Levi could already tell what the brunet was really hoping to hear. Him being a former Cerberus test subject, he wondered if that fact alone made him less than human. Eren was so easy to read. 

 

"Who knows." Levi eventually said. "You made it out alive, didn't you?" 

 

He didn't bother to turn and gauge what Eren's reaction to his words were, but he had a feeling the brunet took something positive away from them. Whether that was Levi's intention or not, at least it got the brunet moving until he was gone from his cabin. Now, finally alone with his own thoughts, Levi decided to process this new information. He deemed this conversation with Eren a success, for now. He got some information out of him and he also got some confirmation as to where his allegiance lied but this was only the start of it. Eventually, Levi would find out more and only then would he decide whether or not trusting Eren Jaeger was an option.

 

For now, he remained guarded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me awhile to finish. It's roughly 9k words, so, yeah. Levi needs to lighten up some.


	4. Mark 0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _'♪ No Limits, No Limits  
>  No dream is too big not to finish ♪'_
> 
>  
> 
> **[No Limits](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF3KvIy6rz8)** \- **Zayde Wolf**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. Sorry for the disappearing out of nowhere just when things were getting good with this fic.  
> But, I'm back and posting a new chappie for those of you who have been keeping up! 
> 
> Once again, there are links and references in this chapter for specific things or devices, for those of you who don't play the game.  
> If ya'll have any questions about something that you don't understand or sometimes confuses you, feel free to ask me!

_Your team did well, Levi. Both teams did."_

 

"Don't be so quick to pat us on the back, Erwin." Came Levi's irritated voice. "We didn't find the colonists and Cerberus got away." 

 

 _"Don't be so quick to dismiss your actions, Commander."_ the Blond Councilor chuckled. _"You may not have achieved our initial goal but now we know that Cerberus is onto us and better yet, they know we're onto them and we've got them running scared."_

 

Slamming his fist down onto the console, Levi couldn't help but growl in frustration. "That's not good enough, Erwin! If we had just gotten there sooner, we could have stopped Cerberus from hauling those colonists off to fuck only knows where." 

 

 _"Levi,"_ came the soft, understanding voice of a long time friend and ally. Levi knew in that moment that Erwin wasn't speaking to him as his superior. No, in that moment, he was speaking to him as an equal. Man to man. _"Dwelling on the 'if onlys' and 'what ifs' is asking for trouble. We could not have known that Cerberus was already aware of our pursuit."_

 

"I know." the Commander snapped, clearly still agitated. But, as he took a moment to let Erwin's words sink in, he seemed to calm, if only just a bit. "I know..." he sighed.

 

 _"Hanji tells me she's working on a project? Something about creating a new tracking program specifically intended for Cerberus?"_

 

"Yeah," Levi answered tiredly. "I didn't bother asking for the details but my squad and I managed to get our hands on some Cerberus tech. Four-eyes said she could use it to help modify our systems so that we could pick up Cerberus on our scanners. It was a real bitch, maneuvering that facility without them. Like walking into each new room completely blind." 

 

 _"Hm,"_ the Councilor hummed. _"I can imagine. Well, I'm pleased that you've found a way around that little problem, but, I hope my wife won't get too carried away with this little project she's working on."_

 

That got a little snort of laughter out of Levi as he regarded the blue, holographic figure of Erwin Smith standing before him. 

 

"With her? Who knows. I just hope she doesn't blow a hole in the ship somewhere and kill us all." 

 

_"I wish I could guarantee that won't happen, Commander, but unfortunately, I cannot."_

 

"Yeah, well, I never expected you to anyway. You're the crazy bastard who married her, after all."

 

With one last rumbling chuckle, Erwin bid the Commander farewell before their call was ended. For now, they had no other leads on Cerberus to follow, which meant they would just have to wait and Levi hated waiting. But, at least he didn't have to wait on the Citadel. He was back on his ship, where he felt most comfortable. The Commander would just have to find ways to occupy not only himself but his new crew and Levi hadn't a doubt in his mind that they would grow very restless, very soon. 

 

He was just thankful that Hanji at least had something to keep her preoccupied. The Commander had learned very early on that a bored Hanji was a dangerous Hanji and he'd rather not have a repeat of the [Pyjak](http://img.bbystatic.com/BestBuy_US/store/ee/2017/vg/pr/sol-12283-mass-effect-infographics/sol-12283-mass-effect-pet-pyjak-rev.jpg) incident.

**\-- M --**

Levi found it as no surprise that Armin had somehow been wrangled into helping Hanji with her newest project. He found the two huddled around a desk in Hanji's makeshift lab which was really just her cabin/office with a few extra additions added on over the years. It seemed that the engineers in charge of retrofitting the ship didn't bother touching Hanji's room, but Levi wasn't about to question that. He was probably better off not knowing anyway.

 

"Ah, Levi! Good timing! I was just about to have Petra beep you down." 

 

"Yes, well, here I am. What the fuck do you want?"

 

"Always so cheerful." the brunette tittered before she moved to stand up from behind her desk and round the table. "Have a nice chat with my hubby?" 

 

Levi rolled his eyes at Hanji's horribly sickening nickname for Erwin. "What makes you think we were chatting? It was a debriefing about our last mission." 

 

"Right, right." the scientist said with a flippant wave of her hand. "That's what I meant to say." 

 

"Sure you did." snarked Levi. "Is there a reason why you're hogging Arlert all to yourself?" 

 

"Hello, Commander." the blond greeted sheepishly from his spot behind Hanji's desk. 

 

"He's my assistant." the brunette said, very matter-of-fact. "And he's helping me develop the new tech. Armin here is something of a technical genius." she praised with a huge grin.

 

"Well," the younger blond began bashfully. "I wouldn't say that."

 

"Oh, drop the humble act, would you? Thanks to your very special brain, I'm miles ahead with this project then I could have ever done on my own!" 

 

"I'm well aware of Arlert's capabilities." Levi huffed, once he got tired of being ignored. "But would either one of you mind telling me just what the hell it is you're working on?" 

 

"Not yet." Hanji answered before Armin could even open his mouth to reply. "It's nowhere near complete, so, you'll just have to wait." 

 

"You can at least tell me what this thing is supposed to do." the Commander grumbled. 

 

"Why?" was the woman's answer, followed by a loud snort of sorts. "It would just result in you getting pissed off because you can't understand all the 'complicated science shit' I'm spouting, according to you." 

 

Well, when she put it that way, Levi saw her point. "Alright, fine." he eventually relented. "But I want a full briefing on this thing once it's completed." 

 

"Aye, aye, Commander!" Hanji chirped before mock-saluting the raven who simply rolled his eyes while turning to leave the room. 

 

"Arlert, try not to neglect your other duties." 

 

"Yes, sir!" 

 

With no other pressing matters for him to attend to, Levi decided he would go down to the shuttle bay to squeeze in a long workout. He hadn't had the time to do so since they left port from the Citadel but now was as good a time as any to put his body through a rigorous workout so that he stayed in tip-top shape.

**\-- M --**

"So, I bet you think you're real hot stuff now, Jaeger."

 

Recognizing that arrogant tone as Jean's, Eren was prompted into looking up from his meal in order to watch as the obnoxious pilot approached his table in the [mess hall](https://img00.deviantart.net/a36d/i/2012/041/d/c/normandy_mess_hall___gardner_by_loraine95-d4pb37e.jpg) with that usual annoying cock-sure swagger of his that always made Eren wanna kick Jean right in the balls. Why did he always have to act so fucking pretentious all the damn time? 

 

"Looks like they've released you from your stable." the brunet commented with an indifferent stare. "Did they remember to groom your mane?" There was a pang of satisfaction that coursed through him at seeing Jean bristle at his words but Eren simply smirked before returning to his meal. 

 

"You think you're such a hotshot just because you got to go groundside with the Commander." Jean snorted, placing his hands flat on the edge of the table and lording over Eren as he tried to finish his meal quickly. 

 

"Is there a point to all this braying, Jean?" the brunet finally huffed as he swallowed down a spoonful of the crap that Oluo called 'food'. It was all pretty much mush to Eren and quite frankly, it could use some flavor. "Because if you're just here to pick a fight, then go somewhere else. I've got better things to do than to sit here and listen to you nay." 

 

"Wow," the pilot said with a derisive laugh. "How very mature of you, Jaeger. Running away from an argument you know you can't win? Guess you're smarter than you look." 

 

Eren knew that Jean was just trying to bait him into bickering like children but by now, the younger soldier knew better. He'd been aboard the SSV Titan for a week and half and so far, whenever he got into an altercation with Jean, Commander Levi always somehow managed to walk in and catch them. With the way things had been going between him and Levi, Eren didn't want to give the man anymore cause to look down on him. Especially not after their last mission. It seemed, no matter how hard he tried, Levi just never saw him at his best. But, with this thought in mind, the brunet was able to restrain himself from standing up and clocking Jean in the teeth, but only just barely. 

 

"Are you done?" he asked, tossing the taller pilot a bored look before he stood up and collected his tray. 

 

He heard Jean suck his teeth and then, finally, the pilot seemed to give up in trying to taunt him. "Why am I wasting my time with a crazy bastard like you?" Shoving his hands in his pockets, the taller male dismissed himself from Eren's presence. 

 

Well, that was one less thing for Eren to worry about now. Of course, he gave himself a mental pat on the back for managing to refrain from rising to Jean's childish baiting. Mikasa and Armin would no doubt be proud of him for doing so, but unfortunately, neither were around to witness his success, so it may be difficult for him to convince them it actually happened later. As he carried his tray over to the small kitchenette, Eren passed a table of familiar faces who greeted him in various ways. 

 

"Eren!" Sasha had called, cheeks full with food while some spilled from her mouth. "You leaving already?"

 

"Hey, yeah, why didn't you sit with us?" Connie was the next to speak, eyeing Sasha with a mildly disgusted look before he handed the brunette a couple of napkins to wipe her mouth with. "We didn't even know you were here."

 

"Maybe he thinks he's too good for us now." those words came from Ymir, someone Eren didn't particularly care for. "Him being Levi's little pet now."

 

"Ymir," Kirsta, the petite blonde sitting next to the taller raven nudged her gently in the ribs with a slightly chastising look in her round, blue eyes. "Stop it. Eren, don't leave. Come and sit with us for a bit." 

 

Releasing a sigh through his nose, Eren debated whether or not to accept the invitation. While there wasn't anything particularly important that he needed to do, he had hoped on going down to the shuttle bay to find someone to spar with. It had been two days since their mission on Karanes and Eren had been exceptionally restless since their return. He needed to work off some of this pent up anxiety. But... it had been awhile since he'd just sat and talked with his friends. Aside from Ymir, Eren liked the group sitting at the table and perhaps a few minutes of catching up wouldn't hurt. 

 

"Sure," he eventually agreed with a smile. "Let me just get rid of this."

 

He approached the sink in the kitchenette and proceeded to wash his tray very thoroughly, remembering what a stickler their Commander was for cleanliness. Once again, Eren found himself not wanting to be on Levi's bad side anymore than he already was and he had only just barely managed to find some sort of middle ground with the man, if he could even consider it that. Their little chat back in Levi's cabin after their mission had been... heavy. Eren walked away from that meeting with a small hope that something between he and Levi's relationship had changed but, it was too early to tell if that was true. Still, he had gotten confirmation from the man himself; he didn't trust Eren. 

 

Once he was done washing his tray, he dried it and set it back in the rack alongside the other clean trays before he dried his hands and walked back over to his fellow crew members who were all waiting for him at the table expectantly. Ymir sort of scowled to herself as Eren sat down a little ways from her and Krista but far enough from Sasha that he wouldn't have to worry about the girl spitting food on him whenever she got excited. Thank fuck Levi was never around to see her talking with a mouth full of food because Eren could just imagine the disgust on his Commander's face if he ever did. 

 

"So," Connie was the first to address him as the shorter man leaned back in his chair with a drink in his hand. "Squad Levi, eh?" 

 

Eren couldn't help but roll his eyes but he wasn't genuinely annoyed with the group's teasing smiles and jabs. He knew, unlike Jean, they were actually quite impressed with him for his newest position. He'd trained side by side with every person at this table, Ymir included, but he was one of only two recruits of his graduating class that had been accepted into the N7 program at such a young age. The other, naturally, being Mikasa. 

 

"Alright, alright." he chuckled. "Give me your best shots. Get it all out of your systems now." 

 

"What are you talking about?" Connie scoffed before he was sitting straighter in his seat. "We're not gonna make fun of you. Do you have any idea how incredibly awesome it is that Levi picked you to be part of his team?" 

 

"More like the Commander had no choice but to stay stuck with leftovers." Ymir snorted, earning her a halfhearted glare from the brunet from across the table. "I think if he had the choice he would have taken Mikasa. Not this ticking time bomb waiting to happen." 

 

"Ymir!" Krista hissed in warning. Ymir looked thoroughly ashamed of herself when she met the blonde's glare, if it could even be called that. "Eren, don't mind her. She's just a bit sore over not being picked for Levi's team." 

 

"Why are _you_ complaining, Ymir?" Connie said with a roll of his eyes. "You at least got to go on a groundside mission and saw some real action. Sasha and I had to stay on the ship and that's boring!"

 

"Sooooooo booooring!!" Sasha groaned, thankfully after she had finished all her food. That didn't stop her from picking on everyone else's leftovers on their trays, however. "I love being an Engineer and everything but it can get so boring down on the engineering deck. Nothing ever happens!" 

 

"Yeah!" Connie agreed with a sulky expression. "At least let us live vicariously through you guys. Even Armin got to see some action!" 

 

"It must have been so exciting." Krista smiled from her spot leaning against Ymir's side. "Seeing the Commander in action, up close." 

 

"It was." Eren agreed, feeling himself get just the tiniest bit breathless when he recalled just how amazing Levi was when things got real. He'd heard the stories, seen bits and pieces of the Commander thanks to vids on the extranet but seeing it first hand? "Commander Levi is... on a whole other level." 

 

"Well!" Sasha squawked. "Don't leave us in suspense! Tell us what it was like!" 

 

"I'm not really sure I'm the right person to be talking about it," the brunet replied sheepishly. "Armin would be able to give you more details." 

 

"Sure, but Armin's currently being held hostage by Dr. Zoe until she's finished with whatever it is she's working on. So, you're kind of our only option." Smirked Connie. 

 

"Gee, thanks." Eren said sarcastically. "But, where do I even start?" 

 

"Skip the boring bits." Sasha pleaded. "Just get right to the exciting stuff!" 

 

"Well, that narrows it down. You got it, Sash." 

 

Eren spent the next ten minutes recalling the events of his last mission with his friends who were all hanging onto his every word as he described the wonder that was their Commander and how he completely took down an entire patrol unit all on his own with nothing but his sniper rifle. He did leave out the bits about his insubordination and Levi's curt behavior with him through out the entire mission but nobody else really seemed to notice and of course, he sang his praises about Armin and Mikasa as well. 

 

"I think the Commander was really impressed with him." Eren ended with a warm chuckle. "I mean, he should be because Armin is no doubt the best technician and strategist of our class." 

 

"Damn right!" Connie said with a triumphant grin. "Everyone knows the 104th Training unit was the best, hands down!" 

 

"But, wow, Eren. I'm almost jealous that you get to work so closely with the Commander." Krista piped up. "It sounds like all the stories we used to hear about him hardly do him any justice." 

 

"Well, yeah." the brunet chuckled. "But, it's not all sunshine and rainbows being on Levi's squad. He likes things done a certain way." 

 

"No shit." Ymir snorted. "But, hey, Jaeger. If you feel like you can't handle it, I would always be happy to take your place." she sneered. 

 

Eren chose not to give her the satisfaction and instead rolled his eyes and stood up from his seat, "You and half the galaxy, Ymir." was all he said as he prepared to leave the mess hall. "Well, it's been fun, guys." 

 

"Aww, Eren, you're leaving already?" the group, minus Ymir, groaned in disappointment. 

 

"I should find Mikasa and try to squeeze in a couple of spars before it's lights out." the biotic said with a smile and a wave towards the group.

 

Everyone except Ymir waved back and then Eren was retreating down the corridor towards the elevator that would take him down into the [shuttle bay](https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/masseffect/images/9/93/ME3_Shuttle_Bay.png/revision/latest?cb=20120416182734). He wasn't actually sure if Mikasa was even down there, but something told Eren he would definitely find her there if nowhere else. So, he took a chance on that gut feeling and descended to the lower deck. When he reached the shuttle bay, he waited for the elevator door to open, only to find the exact person he'd been hoping to find. 

 

To his great surprise, Mikasa was currently locked in a rather intense sparring session with none other than Levi, their Commander. They were both dressed in their Alliance fatigues, with the exception of their tops which Levi had switched out the standard shirt for a black sleeveless tank top instead and Mikasa was wearing a loose black crop top. The others that normally resided in the shuttle bay like Gunther, their shuttle pilot, were all gathered around the main floor watching the two raven's sparring relentlessly and Eren soon joined them. 

 

The air around Levi and Mikasa was absolutely charged with tension and Eren could read frustration all over the woman's face as she tried to do a leg sweep on their Commander but failed when the man suddenly tucked and rolled out of the way quicker than most people's eyes could follow but Eren kept up a little better. They were both absolutely dripping from head to toe in sweat and the brunet had to wonder just how long they'd been at it for. 

 

"You're getting slow." he heard Levi say. "Keep your fists up!" then he lunged forward and socked Mikasa right in the jaw. 

 

The woman stumbled back, clearly stunned by the hit that she hadn't expected to land. Shaking off her initial shock, she was quick to bounce back and raise her fists higher so that her face was guarded and soon the two raven's were back to dancing around each other, but that wouldn't be the case for long. Eren could read in Mikasa's eyes that she was pissed and she was planning something. He had learned a long time ago not to rely on her expression for any type of giveaways because she was just as stone-faced as their Commander was. With people like Mikasa and Levi, you had to rely on reading their eyes and while for most people it would be impossible to do, Eren had spent years getting to know Mikasa inside and out, so he could easily pick up on even the subtlest shift in her eyes. She was going to try and tackle him down to the ground. 

 

In the next instance, Eren was proven right when the raven-haired Corporal sudden their Commander's middle and effectively knocking him down. Levi seemed momentarily stunned at the move, but he was quick to school his features as he tried to adapt to this new position. Mikasa had him down and she was about to pin him when the older man kneed her in the side. Apparently it was with enough force to cause Mikasa to pause for one long moment; a moment long enough for Levi to get his bearings and roll out from under her body so that he was back on his feet. Then, in a brutal show of force, the man used his leg to kick her down onto her back and Eren winced because he could hear the rush of air that left Mikasa as she went down. Clearly, Commander Levi was not one to mess with, even during a sparring session. The man was relentless.

 

There was no doubt about it, Levi had won the match. He finally put his fists down, sweat dripping from his damp fringe and shining down his pale skin. Mikasa stayed flat on her back, an arm thrown over her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. She was frustrated. Perhaps even a little ashamed that she allowed Levi to get the better of her. Eren was only slightly surprised to see her so affected by the end result of the match. There was no way she had honestly believed that she could have bested their Commander? A man who was quite literally called Humanity's Strongest Soldier for good reason. No matter how strong Mikasa was, there was no way in hell she was at Levi's level. Still, it was impressive enough that she had lasted as long as she did against the man. 

 

The crowd that had gathered slowly started to disperse, Gunther giving a low whistle to show just how impressed he was before he turned his attention back to the open shuttle he had been working on previously. Eren stayed glued to his spot however as he waited and watched to see what would happen next. He had half a mind to go and help Mikasa up, but he doubted that she would accept his help right now. Not when she was this frustrated. 

 

To his surprise, however, a hand was offered to her and it was Levi's hand. The man lingered, standing over her while his own breathing slowly evened out. Had the shuttle bay not been so quiet, Eren might not have heard Levi's words. Words that honestly stunned him because they weren't insults or complaints for once. 

 

"You put up a good fight, Ackerman." he said with genuine respect in his tone. That was not something Eren had expected at all. 

 

Wordlessly, Mikasa looked up at the man and just stared at him for a long moment. At first, Eren didn't think she was going to accept the offered hand but he was proven wrong when she did take his hand and pulled herself up from the floor. She didn't bother replying to Levi's words, however, seeing as she turned on her heel and grabbed a towel that had been left on the work bench before she walked right past Eren and straight for the elevators. He found her behavior odd, considering the fact that she didn't even bother sparing him a glance which was so unusual of her, but he could only chalk it up to the fact that she must have been more frustrated over her loss than he originally thought. Eren considered going after her. 

 

"Is there a reason you're just standing there, Jaeger?" the sound of Levi's tired voice snapped him out of his thoughts and then he was turning to face his Commander who was preparing to start a set of chin ups. "Or did you come down here for something?" the words themselves weren't particularly biting but there was something in Levi's tone that made Eren feel like he was being reprimanded for something, though he didn't know what. 

 

"I was hoping to have a quick spar with Mikasa before bed, sir." he informed his CO smoothly. "But, it looks like you broke my sparring partner." 

 

Levi didn't comment, didn't say anything as he grabbed the metal bar that had been situated near some weights and other equipment. Eren waited for some kind of reaction to his words, watching as his Commander pulled himself up, chin over bar, with such little effort he was almost jealous. Levi made everything look so fucking easy. It was no wonder the man was said to have the strength of 100 soldiers. 

 

After a minute of watching his Commander do one full set of chin ups, Eren decided he should go after Mikasa instead. She was clearly upset and Levi obviously didn't want to speak with him, which irked him a bit but there was nothing the brunet could do about that now. He couldn't force the man to open up or to trust him. Especially with the way they had gotten off on the wrong foot from the very first day they met. He figured it would take a lot of time and effort before Levi even started to consider him an ally in any sense of the word, but Eren was nothing if not determined and extremely persistent. He would earn the man's trust, eventually. 

For now, he would seek Mikasa out and see what was on her mind.

**\-- M --**

Levi was summoned to the Hanji's room/office suddenly by none other than woman herself a few days later. Erwin hadn't contacted him with new information or leads on Cerberus and it was starting to grate on Levi's nerves, being idle for so long. But, when he finally arrived at her door, annoyed and just about ready to chew Hanji out for bugging him, he paused when he saw the brunette seemingly talking to herself in her empty room.

 

"Did you finally fucking lose it, Four-eyes?" Levi said as he stepped into the room. "Who the fuck are you talking to?" 

 

"Levi!" she gasped, her brown eyes lighting up with pure glee as she turned to face him. "Good, you're here! I didn't think you'd come." 

 

"Well, you did call me." the raven said with a suck of teeth as he leaned against a wall, arms crossed over his chest. 

 

"Alright, well, remember how I had Armin helping me develop that new tracking program for Cerberus?" she asked quickly. Before Levi could open his mouth, Hanji was answering for him. "Of course you do! It was just a few days ago, after all."

 

Growing irritated with the blabbering scientist, Levi fixed her with a glare that would normally cow most people but with Hanji, it simply had her stopping her jerky movements as she beamed widely at him. He definitely didn't like that expression on her. She was up to something. 

 

"Hanji," he called in warning. "Get to the fucking point. What is it?"

 

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, the brunette finally approached her desk. Placing both palms of her hands flat against the desk top, she fixed Levi with a level stare, a secretive smile playing on her lips that slightly unsettled him and for good reason. He'd seen that look before and nothing good ever followed it.

 

"Levi," she started in a much calmer voice. "I've done it."

 

"Done what?" he asked exasperatedly. He grew tired of all this beating around the bush. "Just spit it out already."

 

"I created something, no, no, that's not right. It wasn't just me but Armin helped too. Anyway! We've finally got a way to track Cerberus down, Levi. No more having to wait on Erwin for orders and leads." 

 

Well, okay, Levi liked the sound of that but she still wasn't telling him the whole story and that was the part that worried him. 

 

"But?" he prompted. 

 

"No buts!" she said with a shake of her head. "My project was a success! Although, he's not fully complete, he's fully functional!" 

 

"He?" the Commander asked. One eyebrow raising towards his hairline as he waited for Hanji to explain herself. He already had a bad feeling though. 

 

"I'll just show you." Taking a step back from her desk, Hanji accessed the console on her desk and then spoke. "Introduce yourself." she said. 

 

_"Hello, Commander Levi. My name is Mark 0"_

 

Slightly startled by the unexpected voice that greeted him from seemingly nowhere, Levi immediately recognized the slightly robotic way the voice spoke and he settled Hanji with a suspicious glare. 

 

"A V.I.?" he guessed. ( ***** Virtual Intelligence)

 

"You're getting warmer." the woman giggled gleefully. 

 

"Hanji." the Commander growled at her. "Tell me this thing is not what I think it is."

 

 _"It is just as you suspect, Commander."_ the robotic male voice answered in lieu of Hanji who was still grinning like mad. _"I am an Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Zoe created me, and Lieutenant Arlert assisted."_

 

Levi had to take a moment to run a hand down his face and sigh with frustration because he could not believe this was actually happening right now. She had really gone and done it and this time the Commander wasn't sure how he should be reacting to any of this because it was all kinds of bad. 

 

"Isn't he amazing!?" she squealed in delight. "Oh, Marco, you're absolutely amazing!"

 

_"Thank you, Doctor. You've said this a dozen times."_

 

"And I'll say it a dozen times more! You're amazing, my little brain child!"

 

"Stop talking to it like it's a person!" Levi hissed once he'd gotten over the initial disbelief that his Executive Officer and resident Scientist had just created a fucking A.I.

 

"But he is a person, Levi!" Hanji gasped, clearly outraged that he could even claim that this creation wasn't alive at all. "I made him with my own two hands! He's like my child!" 

 

"Fuck me," the raven cursed to himself quietly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hanji, creating an A.I. is _illegal_." he stressed, putting plenty of emphasis on the last word. "Do you realize how much shit you'd be in if anyone found out about this? You'd be kicked out of the Alliance." 

 

"Then we won't tell anyone!" she said with a frustrated sigh. Now she was just starting to sound like Levi was the crazy one here. "You and I both know that Erwin won't rat us out to anyone. He loves me too much, and there's no way he would turn down an opportunity to track down Cerberus." 

 

"And what about the rest of the crew?" he frowned. "Arlert isn't stupid. He's bound to know what he was helping you create." 

 

"Of course Armin knows what I made. He's the one who helped me configure Marco's everything! He's just as responsible as I am!" 

 

"What makes you think he won't turn you in once he realized what he's done?"

 

"He won't." Hanji said with absolute confidence in her voice. "Armin was totally on board with this whole idea. He's not the type of person to go back on his own word." 

 

"Like you would know." the Commander scoffed in disbelief. "You hardly know the kid." 

 

"So?" Hanji said petulantly. "Not everyone is slow to trust, Levi. If I'm telling you we can trust Armin, then why can't you trust in my judgement and accept it?" 

 

"You're impossible." the man finally gave up. "Fine, do whatever you want. But I don't want to hear you come crying to me when shit hits the fan." 

 

"Yes!" Levi heard Hanji cheer as he prepared to leave her cabin. "So, I can install Marco into the ship's drive core!?" 

 

He stopped mid-step at her words, a very dull headache making itself known at the back of his head. If the reapers weren't the death of him, a crazy scientist known as Hanji Zoe Smith surely would be. 

 

"Whatever." he grumbled over his shoulder. "But you're taking responsibility when this goes ass up." 

 

Of all the things Levi didn't need to add onto his pile of growing worries, now he had a fucking Artificial Intelligence he needed to keep secret from the Alliance, lest Hanji be kicked out and him grounded for allowing this to happen in the first place. Still, he was a man who cared about results and if Hanji claimed this A.I. could help them track Cerberus, he would take what help he could get. Perhaps he was a little more similar to Erwin than he'd like to admit but that's where he drew the line.

 

Sometimes, you needed to break the rules in order to accomplish something good. This was a necessary evil. For now, he would keep his fingers crossed that Hanji's little creation wouldn't suddenly turn on them like the Geth. The last thing he needed was a crazed rogue A.I. going on a killing spree. 

 

That headache was really starting to make itself known now. He was in for a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Hanji. How I adore thee.  
> Surprise~ Marco is actually an A.I. -evil laughter-


	5. The Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _"♪ 'Cause I'm losin' my sight, losin' my mind_  
>  Wish somebody would tell me I'm fine  
> I can't go on living this way  
> Can't go on  
> Living this way  
> Nothing's alright ♪"
> 
>  
> 
> **[Last Resort](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVzOjT7pczQ)** \- **Papa Roach**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up guys, this chapter is fucking MASSIVE.  
> 12k words and lots of references and links up ahead.  
> Enjoy it.

Introducing the rest of the crew to Hanji's newest invention had been... interesting, if nothing else. For the most part, Hanji had agreed to at least hide the fact that Marco was an A.I. from the crew so as to not complicate matters further. Levi had largely insisted they do this in order to keep their higher up's in the Alliance from catching whiff of this. So, as far as anyone aside from Levi and Armin were concerned, Marco was just another V.I. meant to help them track Cerberus.

 

Now that they had a way to chase down their enemy, Levi was eager to get started. They'd been sitting idle in the Omega nebula for the past week while Hanji put her finishing touches on her newest project, but now that she was satisfied, Levi gathered his team in the [Comm room](http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/405441-mass-effect-xbox-360-screenshot-into-the-communications-room.jpg) for a briefing on their next mission. Eren and Armin entered the rooms first, with Mikasa following a few seconds later. While he had no room for her on his squad, Levi was still very impressed with the Corporal on their last mission and he wanted her opinion on the situation as well. Plus, she seemed to have a close relationship with both Eren and Armin and his secret hope was that she would be able to talk some damn sense into Jaeger whenever he started getting any big ideas.

 

"Good, you're all here." Levi said as he stood at the console near the front of the room. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we find Cerberus and stop them."

 

"What's our next objective, Commander?" Eren asked as he took a seat in one of the large leather chairs in the room. Mikasa sat next to him while Armin took the seat directly adjacent the duo. Hanji was busy tinkering around with something near the back of the room, but Levi didn't really need them there, aside from interacting with their newest little illegal project. "Armin said Dr. Zoe created a new tracking program intended to find and identify Cerberus?"

 

"Yes, Dr. Zoe did." the Commander answered tightly before he took a few steps away from the console so that he was now standing in the center of the room. "Hanji has already synced the program with all our ship's systems, including our omni-tools."

 

"With this new tech, we should be able to detect Cerberus agents on our systems now." Armin said with a small, excited grin. "It should also prevent us from being picked up by Cerberus scanners as well."

 

"How does that work, exactly?" Mikasa was next to ask.

 

"Well, Marco was created from Cerberus tech, so with his programming now installed in our ship and our own tech, Cerberus won't be able to tell the difference between our signatures or one of their own." the blond explained.

 

"You mean Marco is an A.I.?" the Corporal said in a flat voice.

 

"Yeah, we kind of already figured that out." Eren snorted with a smirk tossed in Armin's direction.

 

"Arlert," Came Levi's frustrated sigh. "The agreement was to keep quiet about this. Not blab to all your little friends."

 

"I didn't tell them!" the blond protested. "H-How did you guys figure it out?"

 

"Honestly, Ar." the brunet sitting across from him scoffed as he sat back in his seat with arms crossed over his chest. "You should know by now that you can't hide anything from me and Mikasa. Besides, it's not exactly that hard to figure it out. You've been referring to Marco like he's a person since the Commander first mentioned it to us."

 

"Oh," Armin said looking very embarrassed. "I-I guess I just didn't think about it. I helped create him so I'm just... used to referring to him as another part of the crew."

 

"That's because he _is_ part of the crew." Hanji suddenly piped up, slightly startling everyone who had forgotten she was even there in the first place. "Marco is completely sentient, therefore, he's just like any other person on this crew. He can think for himself and has his own opinions, isn't that right, Marco?"

 

 _"Yes, Dr. Zoe. That is correct."_ a familiar electronic voice suddenly answered. Now that Marco was programmed into the ship's drive core, it meant the A.I. could speak to them from any part of the ship and vice-versa. Levi found that only a little unsettling. _"But, I believe the Commander wished to brief his team on the latest coordinates I was able to trace."_

 

"Ah, right, of course! Go on then, don't mind me." the brunette cackled before they returned to silence.

 

"Finally," Levi said with a suck of his teeth as he got straight down to business. "We've received coordinates for a Cerberus outpost on the planet Trost in the Eagle Nebula. It's one of three major Cerberus cells that we know of but for now, it's the best we have to go on."

 

"What should we expect once we get there?" Eren was the first to ask. Levi could already see his thick brows furrowing.

 

"I'm betting on a helluva lot of security, especially now that we know that it's one of their main outposts."

 

"So, we should expect heavy resistance?" Mikasa pointed out. "Perhaps it's not a good idea for us to attack this outpost without backup, Commander."

 

"I've already taken care of that." Levi said with a nod in her direction. "Erwin will be sending three aerial strike teams to assist us while my squad and I go groundside."

 

"A distraction?" the Corporal asked, a mild look of confusion on her face that even Levi could pick up on despite her usual blank expression. "What good will that do?"

 

"It means we'll be able to infiltrate the outpost without being noticed." Eren said with a mirthless chuckle. "So, this is where it really begins? Our full on assault on Cerberus?"

 

"Yes." Levi answered in a firm voice. "And it's definitely not going to be an easy mission. So, make sure you're properly prepared for it. I'll be setting the course for the Eagle Nebula as soon as this meeting is dismissed."

 

Glancing around at the three young faces of his newest team, Levi could read the mixed expressions of apprehension, concern and determination. It was natural that they would be worried about such a huge mission. If he had to be honest with himself, he was a little uncertain himself. Over the last ten years he'd been with the Alliance, Infiltration missions had never exactly been his favorite, despite his specialties being stealth and reconnaissance. It had more to do with the fact that these missions always tended to end badly. He didn't dare let himself hope that this time would be any different, but, he would at least try his damnedest to make sure this new squad came back alive. That was all he could do, in the end.

 

"Do any of you have any questions?" he finally asked. For a moment, there was nothing but silence from his team and for a second, Levi thought that would be the end of it. But, suddenly, Armin cleared his throat and looked his Commander dead in the eye. Something the raven would silently commend him for, considering just how timid the blond normally came off.

 

"I have a question, sir."

 

"Alright, shoot."

 

"On the off chance that we do find the colonists alive and well, what would the protocol be then?"

 

Internally, the Commander was very impressed that Armin was already thinking that far ahead. Clearly, he was considering all their possible outcomes but the fact that he chose to ask about the most optimistic outcome said a lot and Levi couldn't help but decide that he liked Arlert for that. With a little more training and a lot more field experience, he'd be a damn good soldier in no time at all.

 

"If we do find the colonists alive, then I'll have to call for an extraction team. That's where Corporal Ackerman will come in. Ackerman, from now on you'll be in charge of leading our Extraction team. You can have your pick of the other two who will be joining you. Be sure you pick people you're comfortable working with."

 

"Yes, sir." she said with a solemn nod.

 

"And the worst case scenario?" Eren was next to pipe up. He had his eyes trained on a spot on the floor, brows pinched together in clear frustration as he seemed to consider what their worst case scenario was. "If we walk into that outpost and find the colonists all turned into monsters, what then, Commander?"

 

Jaeger finally lifted his gaze to meet Levi's and the Commander could read every single emotion swirling within them. Fear, anger, determined resolve to do what was necessary, all mixing together to create the melting pot of luminous teal in Eren's eyes. It was similar to the look he gave Levi back in his cabin when they finally breached the topic of his biotics.

 

"If we happen to find the worst case scenario," Levi began, never once breaking eye contact with the young Lieutenant who continued to hold his stare. "Then, we blow that place to all hell and get the fuck out of there."

 

There was a moment where Eren tried to express something in his eyes, a brief flicker of disappointment perhaps but Levi didn't want to read too much into it. Instead, he simply broke eye contact and returned to addressing his team as a whole, gauging all their expressions to his very blunt response.

 

"But, is that really necessary?" Armin asked, clearly disturbed at the thought of blowing up anything. "With enough time and research, we may be able to find a way to fix the colonists."

 

"When a horse has an injured leg, why do you think they used to shoot and kill them?" Hanji suddenly interjected, once again joining their conversation. All eyes were on them as they regarded the room with sad eyes. "It wasn't because the horse was suddenly useless. It was because their owners knew that a horse that couldn't walk or run would be miserable, so it's considered a mercy killing when they shoot that horse in the head to relieve it of any unhappiness. Because a horse is nothing without it's ability to run or walk freely."

 

Armin seemed upset by this analogy, but Levi understood the frustration behind Hanji's words. He knew just how upset they still were about that colony they couldn't save from the Thorian, but he could also see that they fully understood the reason why it was necessary to kill them all at the time. They were speaking from their own experience and it was something that still haunted them, but looking at it from that perspective made it easier for them to go on.

 

"When humans have their very essence taken from them, they stop being humans." Levi added on. "If you were one of those colonists and you were turned into a mindless killing machine against your will, stripped of your humanity, wouldn't you want to be put out of your misery instead of being forced to kill innocent people?" he asked.

 

He was answered with a tense silence, though he could see reluctant understanding blooming in Armin's too blue eyes. It may not have been the prettiest image but it was the image his team needed to be aware of in order for them not to rely on foolish emotion if the worst case scenario did play out. They were soldiers and soldiers did what needed to be done for the greater good, no matter how they felt personally.

 

"If that's all the questions there are, you're all dismissed." the Commander said before turning away from his team.

 

He heard the sound of them slowly rising from their seats and shuffling out of the room in single file order, their feet heavy and no doubt, their hearts even heavier. It was never easy, discovering just how unfair and unforgiving the universe could be, but if his team planned on surviving, they needed to get used to the fact that they just couldn't save everyone. No matter how hard they all may try.

 

"That was so awful." Hanji said softly. "The looks on their faces."

 

"It's the harsh truth." Levi answered, back turned to them still as he stared down at the floor beneath his boots. "Better they learn this lesson sooner rather than when it's too late."

 

"I guess you're right." came their disheartened answer.

**\-- M --**

"FL. Kirstein." ( ***** Flight Lieutenant.)

 

"Yes, Commander?"

 

"Set a course for the nearest [Mass Relay."](https://i.giphy.com/media/fQvrCEYzHSDAc/giphy.webp)

 

"Any particular destination?"

 

"The [Eagle Nebula](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/masseffect/images/6/64/Eagle_Nebula.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100209160528). Planet Trost."

 

"Aye, Aye, Commander. Gearing up the [FTL drive](http://cloud-3.steamusercontent.com/ugc/433823760600344737/A850F50364039E13B8847CD21867C388BC8836BF/)." ( ***** Faster Than Light.)

 

Once their course had been set, Levi retreated down to the Shuttle Bay to get suited up. They would arrive at their destination soon, but he still had enough time to himself to go down and check his weapons and make any last minute adjustments to mods and such. He also had to check in on his squad. He was mildly concerned about Arlert, seeing as he was the one with the least self-confidence. With this being their second official mission together, Levi figured it was probably best that he try to encourage the tech specialist before they departed. Armin was a good soldier, but he would be just that much better if he had a little more confidence in himself.

 

To his surprise, when he arrived at the shuttle bay, he found Mikasa already having a pep talk with the blond who seemed a little more calm than Levi had been expecting of him. Maybe he was underestimating him, again. He made a mental note not to do so as much in the future. Armin had already proven himself more than capable. The other thing that surprised him as he exited the elevator and approached his weapon's locker was that Eren was occupied, down on the ground doing a set of push-up's while huffing heavily.

 

The Commander grabbed his armor and approached the [weapon's bench](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/masseffect/images/f/fd/ME3_Weapon_Customization.png/revision/latest?cb=20120409142410) nearest the load out console, half his attention on his guns, the other half on the tense biotic currently working off some obvious stress.

 

"Shaking off pre-mission jitters, Jaeger?" Levi asked as he packed extra thermal clips into his ammo pack.

 

He heard a frustrated huff of air leave the brunet as he continued with a new set of push-up's. "Something like that, sir." he grunted out.

 

Levi took a moment to slip on his chest plate, securing his armor in place and making sure it didn't shift awkwardly when he moved. His [N7 Armor](http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d052926344b6b5e396b8446d8cab14f2.jpg) was the best the Alliance could offer and Levi was never disappointed with the perks he received from said armor. It had been with him through many a tough fight and the scrapes and scratches seen just about every inch of the black and blue armor was proof of that.

 

"Try not to push yourself too much." he said as he slipped on the gauntlets on his forearms. "The last thing I need is a sore biotic."

 

Eren gave a breathless laugh at that before he finished up his last set and pushed himself up from the ground, dusting his hands off on his pants. "That's probably good advice." he said with a crooked grin as he approached his own weapon's locker that was located near Levi's current position. "I just needed to do something to work off this anxiety, sir."

 

That last bit caught his attention and the raven-haired Commander regarded Eren with a side-long stare. "Something you're worried about, Jaeger?"

 

His question seemed to surprise the brunet as he turned to blink at his CO who was no longer staring at him but was focusing on loading all his weapons and sliding them into their correct holsters.

 

"It's... nothing, Commander. I'm fine. Just a little anxious is all."

 

"About?"

 

The young Lieutenant seemed to hesitate, "It's just..." he trailed off, eyes focused on the armor held in his hands. "Sometimes I wonder if I should have been locked up by Shadis and the Alliance."

 

At his words, Levi paused in his actions of slipping on the last of his armor. He hadn't expected Eren to say that, especially not now of all times. Still, hearing Eren admit out loud that he was just as aware of the dangers he posed as Levi did brought him some form of comfort. Maybe he was being a little hard on the brunet. It was clear that the young biotic was struggling with things beyond Levi's understanding. He needed someone to encourage him right now, not threaten him.

 

"Is that your honest opinion or are you only thinking like that because of the conversation we had earlier?" he asked, not meeting Eren's eyes as he continued to go about his task of double-checking his weapons and confirming his load-out.

 

"I don't know." was the brunet's honest answer. "Sometimes I wonder why I was chosen for this. Other times, I wonder why Shadis tried so hard to help me get my powers under control when he knew they were this dangerous."

 

"Clearly, it's because he saw some potential in you, Jaeger." Levi snorted. "I've known Keith Shadis my entire military career. He was my CO back in the academy. If there's one thing I've learned about that man in the last thirteen years, it's that he never gives up on a lost cause. No matter what."

 

He hadn't meant to share that little part of himself with Eren, it just sort of slipped out as he was thinking back to his former Captain. A man who was partially responsible for helping Levi become the person he was today. The only other person aside from Erwin who saw the potential in Levi that no one else wanted to see. Erwin was the reason why Levi joined the Alliance, but Shadis was the reason he stayed.

 

"Yeah," he heard Eren laugh quietly, drawing the Commander out of his thoughts. "That does sound like that old hard-ass."

 

"Besides," Now Levi was just talking without even really knowing why. His mouth just decided to keep going despite his brain telling him to end the conversation. "Potential aside, he clearly saw some good in you. Take comfort in that, at least."

 

A silence followed as Levi finished checking over all his guns, making sure they all had the latest upgraded mods since their last mission. He could hear Eren shuffling next to him, most likely because he was putting his armor on. Levi hadn't missed the fact that Eren's N7 armor was black with green accents, whereas Mikasa's N7 armor was black with red accents.

 

"Thanks, Commander." came Eren's earnest voice cutting through the thick silence.

 

Not wanting to acknowledge the gratitude that would no doubt be on the younger man's face if he were to turn and address him, Levi simply gave a curt nod of his head before turning to head for the waiting shuttle.

 

"Be quick, Jaeger. Cerberus won't just sit by and wait for us."

 

"Aye, Aye, Sir!"

 

Well, at least that one less thing for Levi to worry about. He needed to make sure his team was ready and focused. They couldn't make any mistakes once they got down there. They had to shut down this operation and quickly. Levi wouldn't allow Cerberus to get away a third time.

**\-- M --**

The aerial strike team was doing it's job of distracting Cerberus while Levi and his Squad were dropped off near the main outpost's entrance. Naturally, it was locked, and they were met with resistance in the form of [Mechs](https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/073/213/large/jaemus-wurzbach-jaemus-masseffect2-mechs-game.jpg?1439449627) programmed to detect hostile enemies.

 

So far, infiltrating the outpost quietly was no longer an option, so Levi opted for the direct approach instead. What made the urge to get inside the outpost even more dire was the fact that the planet Trost had an environmental hazard warning due to extreme radioactive energy on the planet's surface. While Levi was confident in the fact that their armor would keep them protected from the most of it, their protective shields could only last so long before they shattered and exposed them to the full brunt of the harmful environment. Cerberus took a calculated risk building an outpost in a place like this, but the Commander supposed that was the point.

 

"Arlert, ignore the Mechs and just focus on bypassing that security panel on that door!" Levi barked out. "The Lieutenant and I will cover you in the meantime."

 

"I-I'm on it, Commander!" Armin didn't waste any time in getting down to business, sprinting up to the digital security panel on the side of the locked doors to the main building and activating his [omni-tool](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Kp0_u2ccSwQ/maxresdefault.jpg) to start entering multiple hacking configurations in order to get the doors open. "This door is going to be a tough one." the Commander heard the blond huff as he got to work, fingers typing away at the screen of his omni-tool furiously.

 

"Just focus on the door, Ar." Eren was heard reassuring the blond technician. He and Levi were back to back, weapons drawn as they picked off incoming Mechs one by one. Levi with his Sniper Rifle, Eren with his SMG ( ***** Sub-Machine Gun). "You've got this."

 

Levi was mildly impressed with the brunet's ability to encourage and reassure his fellow teammate. Perhaps it was because he had a close relationship with Armin. Levi briefly recalled the little notes on Jaeger's dossier from his training days in the academy. Back then, he hadn't been much of a team player, but it looked like that had changed. Eren was more than willing to help his comrades and Levi made sure to keep a mental note of that.

 

"Damn it, they just keep coming." Eren could be heard cursing under his breath as he ejected one used up clip to insert a new one.

 

"How are we doing on that door, Arlert?" the Commander asked. He didn't want to sound like he was rushing the blond but at this rate, if they kept trying to hold off all these mechs, they'd soon run out of ammo and he didn't like the idea of having to scrounge for spare thermal clips lying around before they've even reached their main objective.

 

"Almost..." he heard Armin grunt out. Clearly, he was putting his all into bypassing this security panel. "I've almost... GOT IT!" he suddenly cried out in joy. "Commander Levi! The door is open!" 

 

"Jaeger, you go in first, Arlert, you follow. I'll be right behind."

 

Levi chose to stay behind the formation to ensure the safety of his team as he picked off a couple more Mechs. Eren had taken lead of their broken formation and Levi was also pleased to note that he was being careful, so far. The brunet approached the door but did the smart thing and pressed himself against the frame so that he wasn't directly exposed to any possible enemy fire they might be met with on the other side of the door. Armin followed his lead, pressing himself up against the opposite door frame to take cover from possible enemy fire. Eren opened the doors, drawing his weapon as they hissed open to reveal an empty vestibule of sorts.

 

Peeking out from his spot behind cover, Eren quickly assessed his surroundings and noted they were clear. He jumped out from behind cover and entered the vestibule, Armin following closely after him. Meanwhile, Levi moved backward slowly until he was safely inside the cover of the vestibule. Armin made sure to shut the door as soon as their Commander was in and locked it.

 

 _"I can assist with making sure this door stays locked."_ Marco's calm, electronic voice invaded their comms suddenly.

 

"Do it." Levi ordered.

 

Armin was quick to scan the security panel with his omni-tool and allowed Marco to do the rest. Sure enough, the access panel on the door went from a bright green to a glaring red. At least they wouldn't have to worry about anymore of Cerberus coming in after them.

 

"Think we'll run into more Mechs once we're inside?" Eren asked with a frown as he checked how much ammo was available to him.

 

"Let's hope Mechs is all we run into and not an Atlus or Two." Levi huffed as he moved to retake his position as leader of their formation. "With Cerberus, you can never tell."

 

"At least we're picking up enemy signatures on our scanners now." Armin piped up, blue eyes already checking their general surroundings. "The Mech's were inevitable. They would have fired on us regardless. But, if we can locate the outpost's main security hub while we search for the colonists, Marco and I may be able to hack their systems and turn the Mechs against Cerberus."

 

"Could you also do it with their defense systems?" came Levi's next question as he removed his breather helmet. There was no need for it now that they were indoors and protected from the toxic air outside.

 

"Most likely." Armin answered with a nod.

 

"We'd do good to find that hub. The aerial strike team could probably use a hand and turning those giant turrets we saw outside against Cerberus would probably help."

 

"Understood, Commander. I'll have Marco try to locate the controls for the defense systems."

 

"Form up." the Commander ordered as he prepared his squad to finally enter the building. "We need to try and track down the colonists."

 

 _"If I may, Commander?"_ Marco's voice once again cut in.

 

"Go ahead." Levi granted permission.

 

_"I have estimated that the colonists were taken somewhere underground to be used as test subjects."_

 

"Test subjects?" Levi heard Eren say in a tight voice. Clearly, the brunet did not like the idea of Cerberus using other humans for experiments the way he had been used. Quite frankly, the thought didn't sit very well with Levi either.

 

"Test subjects for what?" he couldn't help but ground out through clenched teeth.

 

_"Unknown. However, I can hack into their systems and try to determine an exact location for the colonists. For now, I'm limited to theories and assumptions."_

 

"Get it done." Levi answered.

 

In the meantime, he had no other choice but to lead his team deeper into the outpost's main building in order to map out just where it was they were. So, there were multiple levels to this building, which didn't surprise the Commander in the least. It was one of Cerberus's main outposts and, naturally, that meant it would be huge.

 

"I highly doubt we'll find anything useful to us on the ground level."

 

Armin hummed from his rear-left, "So, we should look for stairs or an elevator." he mused out-loud.

 

"Exactly." the Commander agreed. "Something tells me we'll only find more Mechs up here. For now, their patrol units seemed distracted by the strike team outside. Let's not waste their efforts and find that elevator fast. The more time we waste, the more people we lose out there."

 

"Yes, sir!"

**\-- M --**

They had managed to locate an elevator with only a handful of Mechs to fight their way through. Eren had made short work of them with his biotics completely obliterating any enemies with his deadly [Biotic Charge](https://78.media.tumblr.com/98dd87c3a044df9bb6eb038e6650f486/tumblr_ohlortoZeG1uxwjj2o1_r1_400.gif); the aftermath a reminder of just how powerful the brunet was and how silently grateful Levi was that Eren was on their side and not working against them.

 

"Alright," The Commander huffed with relief once they were inside the elevator. "Where the hell are we going, Marco?" As much as he didn't like the fact that Hanji had created an illegal artificial intelligence without telling him and that he was hiding it on his ship, he couldn't deny the fact that their little secret project was exactly what they needed to fulfill this mission and without it, they may as well just let Cerberus run amok throughout the galaxy.

 

_"One moment, Commander. I'm configuring the map on your omni-tool to pinpoint where the colonists should be."_

 

Levi let out a growl of frustration. "We don't have--"

 

 _"Map configuration completed."_ Marco's almost cheerful voice beeped in again. _"I've located the room where the colonists are being held, Commander. Please be advised -- you will be met with heavy resistance.""LT. Arlert, I've located the main defense systems control console. It's located on the same floor as the colonists. Would you like for me to mark it on your map for you?"_

 

"Yeah, Marco. Thanks. Good work."

 

Feeling the lift slowing to a stop, Levi tensed his right arm, finger braced against the trigger of his Assault Rifle. "The Elevator is slowing down." he warned his team. Eren and Armin moved to tighten their familiar V formation.

 

The doors opened suddenly, but confusion set in when Levi realized that they weren't just underground, they were inside what looked to be a cave of some sort. He could see the stalagmites and stalactites uniting to create large columns that looked eerie in the poor lighting as they slowly stepped off the lift. There was a foul humidity in the air that made Levi's suit stick to his skin and made it crawl with disgust. Something was very wrong, including the smell of something very unnatural. It was almost stifling and he could tell that even Armin was starting to understand their earlier suspicions and the reason behind their discomfort.

 

"This is... unbelievable." the blond breathed before Levi heard him nearly gag on the sickly air that permeated around them. "What is that awful smell?"

 

The Commander tried to breathe through his mouth, but that just made it worse because now he could taste it at the back of his throat. "Don't know." he answered roughly. Trying his best not to retch because the stench was growing more and more foul the further into the cave they moved. "I'm not picking up any readings that the air is contaminated or toxic in any way, but the fucking smell says otherwise."

 

 _"Oxygen levels are slightly below what is strictly normal, Commander."_ Marco beeped in again. _"But I do not sense any immediate danger to your vital signs from breathing the air down here. It is, by all definitions of the word, safe."_

 

"Safe doesn't mean smells good." Eren coughed. "God, it's getting stronger."

 

"Stay alert." Levi reminded them. "If it's necessary, we'll put our breather helmets back on. For now, keep moving."

 

"Where are all the scientists?" Armin asked quietly. "This is the second Cerberus base we've hit and I've yet to see any. I find that really strange."

 

"I also don't see any Mechs." Levi pointed out.

 

"Or Cerberus troops patrolling. It's a little too convenient." Eren continued his train of thought. "Do you think... it's a trap?"

 

"Not likely." the Commander said with a shake of his head. He used his sharp hearing to try and pick up on any other sounds besides their shuffling footsteps and the sound of dripping water reverberating off the walls. He heard nothing. "We should be virtually undetected with the rest of the outpost focused on the strike team outside."

 

"Hope they're doing alright." Armin murmured worriedly.

 

"All the more reason for us to find the main console for the defense systems and shut them down." the brunet reminded him.

 

"Right, Let me just check the map to see the navpoint Marco set for the console."

 

"Mine shows the colonists are further into this cave." the Commander said with a dismissive snort through his nose. "Of course they'd put them in the most secure location. Miles underground a giant fucking Cerberus base smack dab in the middle of a toxic, radioactive planet. I don't know if they're stupid for being this predictable or brilliant for planning it all out this way."

 

"Brilliant might be the answer." Eren said with plenty of bite in his tone. "It ensures that anyone who manages to escape can't get far because even if they did manage to get out of this underground cave, they'd have to fight through Cerberus Mechs and what have you, and even if they managed by some miracle to do that, they'd have no choice but to run out into the toxic environment outside without protection of any kind. Nobody would be able to survive that."

 

A grim analysis but not an entirely incorrect one, Levi surmised. He had to admit, he was a little surprised by just how observant Eren was being. In their previous mission, the Commander had pretty much pegged him as an impulsive, risk-taker, but so far, Eren had yet to try and go against one of his orders. Perhaps it had something to do with their little conversation a few days ago after that failure of a search and rescue mission, but whatever it was, Levi would count himself lucky.

 

"The defense systems console is up ahead, Commander. I'm picking up four enemy signatures inside that room from the scanner."

 

"Four is manageable." Levi nodded. "Let's hit that room first and then work our way to the colonists."

 

As their little squad moved closer towards the door, Levi's scanner picked up three more signatures and he frowned.

 

"Now there's seven." he growled quietly. "Could be some kind of cloaking device that hides their signatures. Be wary."

 

They approached a door, locked, naturally. But Levi didn't need to worry about that. Armin was already working quickly with Marco to bypass the locks on the panel and soon they heard the familiar hissing of a door opening, clearly startling their enemies inside. It looked to be a control room of some sort, or maybe a surveillance room with all the monitors currently on display. Inside, they were met with four Commandos and three snipers.

 

"Damn it," the raven cursed as he tucked and rolled into the room, immediately taking cover behind a desk as a sniper's red laser tried to follow his quick movements. "Leave the snipers to me!" he instructed his squad. "Jaeger, you handle the Commandos. Arlert, get your ass to that console!"

 

As his team scattered to do as they were ordered, Levi took the time to active one of his many abilities. When dealing with snipers, you needed to be quick and efficient and his Adrenaline Rush was just the thing he needed for such a time. With this power activated, Levi should be nearly untouchable. Time around him seemed to slow, his blood pumping through his veins faster than before, heart beating erratically. He took only a second to pop out from behind cover to locate one of the snipers that was currently moving towards him, dressed from head to toe in black fatigues with a familiar black, grey and gold insignia emblazoned on their chest where their heart was located.

 

Levi used the precision scope on his Assault Rifle, taking the time to observe whether or not these snipers were protected by shields. They were, but that only meant his cryo-rounds should work wonders. So, with a deep inhale, he took his first head-shot and hit his target with fierce precision. One sniper went down, it took him only half a second to locate the second one, his adrenaline rush already wearing off but this would give him the advantage he needed to stay ahead of the game. Not wanting to risk another headshot, Levi settled for a shot in the chest but it was enough. The second sniper went down in a limp heap but now there was the matter of the last sniper who was hiding from him.

 

He took a second to glance down at his scanner, internally pleased by the lack of red dots currently being picked up. There were three enemies left, his sniper being included. That meant Eren made short work of the four Commandos, but the Commander was eager to get this last sniper. Rolling out of cover he stood up and rounded a table that had been flipped over. He searched out his target, finding them hidden behind some random boxes of cargo.

 

"Coward," he said quietly to himself as he took aim and slowly approached the cargo where his last sniper was crouched, lying in wait to pop out and end his life.

 

"One less to worry about!" he heard Eren cheer from behind him. Obviously, he'd taken down yet another Commando. He could hear the familiar dull buzzing of biotics being used in the background, which only told Levi Eren was handling the enemy well on his own.

 

Suddenly, the last sniper popped out from cover, throwing a smoke bomb down on the ground and obscuring Levi's vision. But, it was a cheap and useless tactic and Levi felt himself smirk. The sniper thought just because Levi couldn't follow them through the smoke, it meant they were safe, but that's where they were wrong. Using the newest modded scope on his assault rifle, Levi could see the red outline of his enemy through the smoke. A little experiment of Hanji's. A new precision scope that could track enemies through smoke and obstructive objects such as pillars and walls.

 

Following the slippery sniper through the thick smoke, Levi waited until he noticed them standing near the open doorway before he took aim and fired a shot right through their back. Holding the trigger down, he activated the semi-automatic rounds of his rifle and allowed the bullets to riddle the sniper until he was positive they were down for the count, their signature being completely wiped off the scanner. Lowering his weapon, Levi exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He had to remember to thank Hanji for the scope. It was everything she had promised and more.

 

He heard a familiar snarl come from behind him, recognizing the voice as none other than Eren's. This prompted the Commander to turn around just in time to see the brunet charging towards the last standing Commando in the room, his omni-tool morphed into a familiar glowing [orange blade](https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_super/11120/111200398/4836508-9022007160-tumbl.gif) that easily sliced through the Commando's thick, bulky armor and penetrated his gut. The man behind the helmet yelped, then let out a pained gurgle as he fell limply to the ground. Until now, Levi had only seen how handy Eren was with biotics but not so much his hand-to-hand combat. He was... not disappointed, per se. Impressed wouldn't be the exact word he was looking for either. Perhaps, pleased would be the better term for what he was feeling -- pleased that Eren was capable of relying on more than just his biotics.

 

"Enemies down." the brunet announced breathlessly.

 

"Arlert, you still alive?" Levi called to the blond who was hidden behind a desk.

 

"I'm good, Commander. Still trying to hack these defense systems. There are... a lot of turrets to disable."

 

 _"I can assist."_ Marco chimed in.

 

"How long will it take?" the Commander asked.

 

"Hard to say." Armin grumbled. "With Marco's help it should shorten the time it would take considerably--"

 

_"I have finished disabling the turrets outside the outpost, Commander. The strike team should be facing fewer problems now."_

 

"Oh." came the blond's slightly sheepish smile. "Well, nevermind then. Thank you, Marco."

 

_"You're welcome, LT. Arlert. Perhaps it would be best to press on towards the room with the colonists?"_

 

"My thoughts, exactly." Levi said. "If we've no more business in this room, let's move out."

 

"Yes, Commander!"

 

Armin hurried to join Eren and his Commander as the raven began to lead them out the door and back out into the cavern with all it's twisting tunnels and eerie nooks and valleys. They would have surely been lost down here if it weren't for the navpoint Marco had set for them on their maps. Yet another brief moment where Levi was grateful for one of Hanji's crazy contraptions. Marco was turning out to be a huge asset to this mission and probably more in the near future.

 

"Is it just me or has the smell from earlier changed?" Eren had asked in a low voice. Now that he had pointed it out, the further into the cavern they moved and the closer to their destination they came, the less pungent the smell became.

 

Levi took a brief whiff and immediately crinkled his nose when a sharp, metallic scent invaded his nostrils. There was something strangely familiar about it, but he couldn't quite place his finger on why. They continued on through the hallow cavern, avoiding any puddles of water as they went so as to keep their presence hidden. So far, no alarms had been set off, despite their earlier altercation with the Commandos and Snipers in the control room.

 

"Looks like nobody thought to put any security down here." Armin commented. Levi could hear the slight tremble in his voice as they moved closer and closer to the navpoint. Nerves, he guessed. "Why's that?"

 

"Maybe they never thought anyone would be able to get this far." Eren decided to throw out a guess of his own. "I know it sounds dumb, but even Cerberus has to slip up sometime."

 

"Focus." Levi snapped. "We're approaching an opening. I can hear movement." he warned.

 

The cavern was so large and hallow that Levi could practically hear when Eren gulped loudly, the sound mingling in Levi's sharp ears along with the sound of their boots shuffling against wet, slippery floors. It was slightly darker the further they went in, but Levi wasn't entirely sure what he had been expecting to find. More rooms? Laboratories like those at the underground facility on Karanes? He saw nothing like that here. No doors. No labs. Just a big, empty cavern.

 

"Something's not right." the Commander said quietly. It was meant to be an observation but he heard Armin utter some kind of affirmation to his words while Eren seemed to moved just that tiny bit closer to him for some reason. "If they were using the colonists as test subjects like Marco said they were, why aren't there any labs down here?"

 

"Commander..." Eren suddenly breathed, voice trembling with what Levi assumed was trepidation, which unsettled him. He had never heard Eren use that tone of voice before. "Up ahead..." the lieutenant swallowed thickly. "I can see..."

 

The Commander kept his gaze focused ahead of them, squinting into the darkness of the cavern until his gray eyes caught a glint of something metallic. Metal of some kind. It was large. For the most part, he couldn't make out exactly what it was, not from this distance. He had half a mind to use the scope on his sniper rifle to try and see what it was but he found that he didn't need to when he decided to switch on the flashlight attached to the shoulder of his armor. It turned on automatically when they entered a darker part of the cave, and with new light shown on the metallic object in the distance, he had to keep himself from gaping because he recognized that horrible device.

 

"It's..." Armin gasped.

 

"Geth tech." the Commander snarled. "And not just any geth tech."

 

"Dragon's teeth..." he heard Eren whisper fearfully.

 

[Dragon's teeth](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/masseffect/images/3/39/ME2_%D0%97%D1%83%D0%B1%D1%8B_%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130410155133&path-prefix=ru). It was a term Levi had heard used before, by a few Alliance soldiers he'd encountered during their fight with the geth. It was the name they gave those nasty looking spikes when they discovered them, huge, protruding things sticking out of the ground, reaching skyward while they impaled human being after human being upon them, turning them into cybernetic nightmares. Just the sight of those things brought back unpleasant memories and Levi shook himself. He didn't want to be reminded of past failures. Not now. He had colonists to save. He could beat himself up later.

 

"This isn't good." he said. "If Cerberus has their hands on geth tech, who knows what the fuck they're doing to the colonists right now. We need to move."

 

As he took to a brisk jog, Levi noticed that Eren seemed slow to follow. His luminous eyes were still on the giant spikes, like he couldn't tear them away. Armin was quick to fall back to Eren's side and shake the soldier out of whatever trance he was in, but Levi could tell that something was off with the brunet. He was acting strangely now that he'd seen the Dragon's teeth.

 

Ahead of them, Levi could see what looked like another door built into the wall of the cavern. It surprisingly wasn't locked but that little discovery niggled at the back of his mind, setting off all kinds of little warning bells. Why would they leave this door unlocked? Why hadn't they run into any other Cerberus forces?

 

"Wait," Levi said as he came to a full halt just before the door. He knew that if he stepped close enough, the door's sensors would pick up on his heat signature and open automatically. Once again, his gut instinct was telling him that something was wrong here. There was something waiting for them behind the door. "Form up. I don't like the looks of this situation right now."

 

 _"Commander,"_ Marco's voice beeped in once more. _"I'm picking up several hostile lifeforms behind that door. But, I can also detect the colonists signatures as well. Proceed with caution."_

 

Well, that was a comforting thought. "Thanks for the warning." he commented dryly as he drew his weapon and prepared to fight whatever came at them through that door.

 

Armin and Eren flanked either side of their Commander as they'd been instructed, Levi taking the lead as he had done so far and stepping close to the door. As he thought, it opened for him automatically, hissing loudly only to reveal a near pitch black room with what looked to be cryo-pods of some kind.

 

"Life-support?" Armin mused out-loud as they slowly and cautiously entered the room. It was dead silent. "Why are all these pods down here? And what are they connected to?"

 

As gray eyes scanned his immediate surroundings, Levi chanced a glance into one of the little viewing windows of the pod to see if he could make out any of the missing colonists they were searching for. What he saw instead of a human face was perhaps far worse.

 

"Husks..." he said in a heavy voice. "They've turned the colonists into husks!"

 

And with his words followed a familiar noise, one he had hoped to never hear again. The pained groans, the guttural gurgles and a sharp hiss of synthetic chatter as Levi soon found his squad being mobbed by a [horde of husks](https://media.giphy.com/media/11vRMCJ9uWQdAk/source.gif) that seemed to come out of nowhere. But he knew better. Out of the darkness, they came running at him one by one. Behind him, he could hear Armin cry out in alarm as he was grabbed by one of the husks that had crawled out from one of the pods.

 

Turning on his heel, Levi used his elbow to smash it into the husks twisted face effectively freeing Armin of the creature's clutches. Terrified blue eyes turned to him and Levi knew the blond was beyond shaken but he needed his team to focus, now more than ever. From behind, he could hear the husks that had been charging for him getting closer.

 

"Retreat!" he barked loudly, hoping to snap Arlert out of his fear-induced paralysis. It seemed to have worked well enough, because soon the Technician was turning around and bolting for the still open door. "Jaeger, fall back!"

 

Levi made for his own retreat for the door, but when he noticed that Eren had yet to move or follow him, he stopped and looked back at the brunet who seemed to be frozen in place; paralyzed just as Armin had been moments ago. Except, he wasn't snapping out of it.

 

"Jaeger! I said fallback **now!** " he yelled, hoping his voice would reach the other this time but it changed nothing.

 

With a suck of his teeth, the Commander turned back and made to grab the biotic by his forearm, yank him out if he had to but before he had the chance to he heard Eren's erratic breathing, chest heaving, eyes as wide as dinner plates though he could tell that panic was settling in, the kind that gripped his heart and froze his entire body. His hands were trembling, barely able to hold his weapon steady. Levi recognized the signs almost immediately. Eren was having an episode of PTSD and it looked pretty bad.

 

The husks were upon him now, ready to swarm and engulf him before eating him alive. Levi wouldn't allow it. He remembered being in this exact same position two years ago, with that young girl he wasn't able to save back on Krolva. Her death was still fresh in his mind, simply because he had come so close to saving her and yet he came up short. He had been forced to watch her get snatched away by those monsters, consumed alive and screaming out for his help. 

 

No. Not again. He refused to let Eren become another victim like Alyssa had. So, with renewed determination and an iron-clad resolve, Levi tucked and rolled the last few feet to where Eren stood paralyzed in fear, from behind, he could hear Armin yelling both of their names while doing his best to pick off whatever husks he could. As he came to a stop next to Eren's feet, Levi used his kneeling position to his advantage and fired several cryo-rounds at the husks legs, causing them to freeze and shatter completely incapacitating them.

 

That took care of the few that were a little too close for comfort, but there were still more coming at them and Levi could only do so much on his own. Humanity's Strongest he may be but invincible he was not. He bled, just like any other soldier. He was only mortal.

 

He took the brief advantage to grab Eren by his arm, roughly manhandling him so that the brunet was facing him properly. Eren stared down at him with unseeing eyes still glassy and wide, like a frightened deer caught in the headlights. The Commander knew he would need to find some way to snap the brunet out of whatever flashback he was currently reliving, but that was easier said than done. So, with clenched teeth, Levi turned his hand into a tight fist and cocked it back before letting it fly hitting Eren square in the square.

 

The biotic reeled back for a second, eyes blinking as he slowly registered the pain on his jaw where a bruise would surely form. Levi would apologize for the brutality later, but for now, he could see clarity returning to Eren's eyes and that's all that mattered.

 

"Get your shit together, Eren!" he snarled viciously at the taller soldier. "We need to fallback and I can't carry your ass out of here!"

 

Shaking his head, slightly disorientated viridian-green eyes tried to focus on Levi's figure and it was then the Commander knew he had successfully snapped Eren back to the here and now.

 

"You with us now, Lieutenant?" he asked, despite their current die situation. The Husks were closing in and he needed to get out of there now. "This is your Commander speaking and I'm ordering you to move your ass now!" he ground out.

 

His words seemed to register, and soon Eren was nodding and turning on his heel to rush for the door. Levi was quick to follow after him. Armin was still lingering by the door, pistol in hand, shooting to the best of his abilities despite marksmanship not being his strong point. When he noticed the duo finally running his way he leaped out of their way and allowed Eren to rush out first, Levi turning just in time to punch one last husk in the mouth just because he could. The husk's jaw cracked loudly, leaving it disfigured--well, more disfigured, anyway.

 

"Arlert, get this door shut and locked!" Levi panted.

 

 _"Allow me, Commander."_ Marco's voice, now a welcome sound to the Commander despite his earlier reservations. _"Overriding door controls in 3,"_

 

"Faster!" The Commander growled impatiently as another set of Husks tried to jump out at him. They were met with one of Levi's boots to the face and another cryo-round in the mouth.

 

_"2,"_

 

"Come on, Marco!" Armin urged. It as the first time Levi had heard him sound so frantic but he could understand the reason behind his tone.

 

_"1. Override complete."_

 

With another hiss, the door was suddenly sliding shut, effectively locking in the last of the Husk horde. The access panel on the door turned from a bright green to an angry red and only then did Levi let out a breath of relief. He and his squad took a couple of seconds to regroup and collect themselves, collectively panting and trying their damnedest to catch their breaths.

 

Slowly, as his heart rate slowed and his brain registered the fact that they were no longer in any immediate danger, Levi suddenly whirled around in a rage setting his sights on the brunet who was hunched over looking absolutely sick to his stomach. At the sight of the still shaken soldier, Levi felt his white-hot rage slowly seep away as he told himself to save the reprimands for later. Right now, they needed to get the hell out of here. Yet again they had been too late and now there was nothing for them here.

 

"Marco."

 

_"Yes, Commander Levi?"_

 

"Signal the Titan. We're going to need an emergency extraction."

 

_"Understood, Commander Levi. Signaling the Titan."_

**\-- M --**

The mission had been a failure, one that weighed heavily on Levi even long after his squad had returned to the ship. Hanji had been waiting for him expectantly when he stepped onto the shuttle bay but he hadn't the energy, physical or mental, to deal with their questions right now.

 

Instead, he decided to finish up this mission by notifying his Pilot to give the go ahead for the strike team to destroy the outpost. The colonists had been taken and turned into mindless Husks and now there was nothing left for them to salvage. He just wanted to put an end to that base of horrors once and for all, and the Commander reveled in the fiery explosion that followed his order. The only consolation he needed was the sight of that outpost going up in flames and smoke until there was nothing left but rubble.

 

When he had gotten his fill, Levi dragged his tired body down to deck 2 where he headed straight for the communal showers. It was his usual failed mission routine that included ignoring Hanji's worried looks and questions and instead isolating himself until he had come to terms with the fact that he had failed and only then would he resurface. When he was ready to. But, in the meantime, it was the isolation stage and that meant an icy shower and at least a couple of hours to himself to accept the inevitable.

 

Hanji left him to his own devices, for now.

**\-- M --**

Hours later found Levi in a familiar room surrounded by his young team, all looking varying degrees of dejected or upset. He understood exactly how they felt but now wasn't the time for sitting around to coddle their wounded confidence. They needed to start forming a new plan.

 

"I know that you're all upset about how this last mission went." he began in a flat, even voice. "But, unfortunately now isn't the time for you to sit around and cry about it. You have to suck it up and be prepared for our next mission. It'll be coming sooner than you think and when it does, I need you all at your best."

 

Without dismissing his team, Levi simply strode out of the room making his exit silently. He already knew that despite his words, the trio of young soldiers would no doubt try to comfort and console each other -- It was only natural. While a part of him still knew that he needed to confront Eren about his little PTSD episode back at the cave, Levi couldn't really bring himself to call the Lieutenant up for this no doubt heavy conversation. He just didn't think he was up for hearing the kid's sob story right now. That could wait.

 

It did, however, put some things into perspective for him. Seeing Eren with such a terrified expression, paralyzed and gripped by a fear Levi himself was familiar with. It was clear to him now that he hadn't imagined the haunted look in Eren's eye's days previous. Something had happened to him -- something that traumatized him to this day and probably always would. War was cruel that way.

 

But, it was late and Levi had spent most of his time since returning from their last mission cooped up in the ship's Port observatory. A frequent haunt of his, according to Shadis and anyone who knew him. Was it his fault that it was the only room on the ship that had a bar? Probably not. But, the Commander indulged in some very well-deserved down-time, curled up on the corner couch by the large picture window that allowed him to observe the infinite reaches of the black vacuum of space they called home. With a drink in his hand, Levi felt quite loose and relaxed as he stargazed.

 

The silence was often a welcome thing for him, but tonight, he found it hard to find comfort in it. His thoughts were still plagued by painful memories, old as they were, Levi had hoped that by now they wouldn't have affected him so much but each time he revisited said memories, the pain was as fresh as ever. He could feel the alcohol taking it's affect on him, though maybe that was misleading, considering Levi's alcohol tolerance was stupidly high and due to this it was hard for him to get drunk but he took great comfort in knowing that he could still get pleasantly buzzed despite this fact.

 

As he tossed the last of his whiskey back, Levi heard the door to the observatory hiss open, the noise drawing his attention. Lazily, he lolled his head up to find none other than Eren Jaeger standing there dressed in his fatigues and staring back at Levi in surprise.

 

"Oh," he heard the brunet say nervously. "Commander, I--I didn't know you were still up, sir." was his lame answer.

 

"Tch, didn't I tell you before?" the raven drawled. "I'm always awake. Insomnia will do that to you."

 

"Right," Eren huffed, reaching a hand up to card through his unruly brown hair. "I, uh, guess I'll just... go. Goodnight, Commander."

 

Levi lifted a brow at Eren's sudden urge to depart from his company. Was it because he was trying to avoid him? Did he know that Levi fully planned on sitting him down for another talking to? Perhaps. But in his current buzzed state, Levi decided to just go for it anyway.

 

"Jaeger." he called in a slightly more sober tone. "Sit."

 

The brunet halted, back rigid. Levi could see it with ease because he was making sure to pay extra attention to every little reaction he got out of the younger soldier. After a long moment of hesitation, Eren finally turned and faced his Commanding Officer. A look of slight apprehension on his boyish face as he entered the room, door shutting behind him as he did so. Moving his feet from where he had them perched up on the couch, Levi lazily gestured with his hand that was still holding his tumbler of whiskey to the now unoccupied end.

 

Eren seemed to understand that Levi was telling him to sit down, so he followed his halfhearted instructions and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch where Levi was still sat, now appropriately, both feet planted on the floor, not kicked up on the coffee table nearby.

 

"We should talk." the raven said with a note of casualty. "I think you know what about."

 

Looking over at the brunet, Levi had to stifle a snort of laughter because Eren looked like he was getting ready to receive some kind of brutal punishment, sitting stiffly across from his Commander, back straight as a rod, hands gripping the edge of the couch cushions, head almost submissively low. The Commander found it just the slightest bit comical.

 

"At ease, Jaeger." he eventually settled with simply sighing to show that he was not about to tear the poor kid's head off. "I'm not going to yell at you. Quite frankly, I don't really have the energy to so much as lift my arms to pour myself another drink." he admitted honestly. "I just need to understand what the fuck happened back there. You clammed up worse than Armin did and he's not even N7 trained."

 

"I know that!" Eren growled in frustration. Levi could read it all over his face. The simmering anger just bubbling below the surface. Clearly, he was ashamed of himself, though Levi could partially understand why. "I know I fucked up." he repeated in a slightly calmer voice. "I'm not going to make up any excuses for my mistake back there, Commander. I fully admit that I fucked up and I promise I'll... I'll do better next time."

 

He hadn't missed the way the brunet's voice slightly shook at the end of that sentence, but for now, Levi wouldn't push him.

 

"Look, Eren. I've been in this game a long time. Ten years long. You don't put in as many years as I have and survive it all without seeing some pretty horrible shit and believe me, I've seen and dealt with my fair share of horrible shit." Levi said with a dry, mirthless laugh. "So, trust me when I say that I can recognize someone with obvious signs of PTSD and when they're experiencing an episode." he finished.

 

Eren was silent at this, but the raven got his answer from the shocked expression on the brunet's face. Once again, he was reminded of just how easy it was to read Eren. He was so open with his emotions, they showed in everything he did, every little change in expression, every little shift in body language. It was all there.

 

"How long have you had it?" Levi found himself asking. Well, so much for not prying but he was genuinely curious.

 

There was a pregnant pause before he was answered, "... Two years."

 

"So, I'm assuming this happened during the war with the Geth?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Right." Levi nodded. "Your colony was targeted?" This time, Eren only answered him with a stiff nod of his head. Bright, turquoise eyes glaring holes into the coffee table. "You were there when they arrived?"

 

"No." came Eren's quivering voice, heavy with emotion just ready to spill over. "I was away at the academy training."

 

Levi wasn't quite sure what to do with that information, so, instead he stood up and walked toward the bar with his empty tumbler in hand. He felt like the conversation that was about to happen warranted a refill.

 

There was silence once more and for awhile, the Commander assumed that that was the end of it. Clearly, Eren didn't want to share anything more and that was fine too. At least he had managed to get something out of him at all.

 

"It was just a rumor at first. Whispered amongst the other trainees." Eren suddenly continued, prompting Levi to look up past his usual heavy-lidded gaze to see that Eren was still sat in the same spot but he was now staring out the observatory's window. "But, I just had this feeling, like something wasn't right. Shadis had always taught me to trust my gut and so I did. My gut was what forced me to disobey direct orders from my CO back at the academy, to steal a shuttle and race home... only to find my colony had been completely massacred and everyone either killed or turned into those... _things_." He spat the last word out like it was bitter poison in his mouth and, well, Levi could understand the sentiment.

 

"It was like I was watching the end of the world happening before my very eyes. Everything was destroyed and burning, the smell of rotting flesh was everywhere but I pushed past all that to go and look for my mom."

 

He heard Eren choke back what sounded suspiciously like a sob and Levi at least had the decency to look away from him, to allow him some semblance of privacy. He understood that this wasn't an easy topic for Eren to bring up, let alone speak of. But, there he was, doing his best to explain the reasons behind his episode despite the fact that Levi never asked him to.

 

"All my life, it was just my mom and me. No one else. Just the two of us. Keith was the closest thing I had to a father. I said before that he helped me get my biotics under control. That day, when the geth attacked, I saw Shadis fighting them off all by himself. He was still in uniform, so I knew that he wasn't supposed to be there and when he saw me... I could see the fear in his eyes. He tried so hard to get me to leave but I fought him. I didn't want to leave him behind."

 

Levi continued to listen in silence, bringing the tumbler to his lips as he took a sip of the fiery, gold-brown liquid. In his own mind, Levi recalled the events of that fateful day, how he had received orders from Zackely telling him that he was now in command of the Titan and that Shadis had suddenly taken off without warning and against direct orders. He had always known the reason for why his former Captain had done so, but hearing it from Eren's mouth was suddenly making the reason even more clear.

 

"Sometimes I wish I had listened to him." he heard Eren almost whisper. Regret tinged his voice and it was a sound that Levi decided did not belong there. Eren Jaeger was too young to have such regrets and yet there he was, sat on that couch looking for all the world so weary and broken down. He didn't like it. "If I had listened to Shadis when he told me to get the hell off that planet, I probably wouldn't have had to see what those bastards did to my mom."

 

Levi swallowed another mouthful of whiskey, but this time, the burn didn't satisfy him and the taste in his mouth was bitter with anger.

 

"Dragon's Teeth." he murmured quietly.

 

"That was when I first saw them." Eren agreed. "Keith was trying to protect me but I went against him just like I always do and I... I saw her... limp, lifeless body impaled on one of those spikes and I just--" he had to stop, collect himself, shake his head as if to shake the vivid memories and Levi watched silently from his peripheral vision. "I don't remember much else after that. It's all a bit jumbled up. Psych Doc says it's because I've partially repressed the memory but that's not entirely true. I do remember one more thing from that day."

 

There was a long pause, one so long that Levi was prompted to look up just to see why Eren suddenly stopped talking. The brunet was no longer staring out the window but was now glaring down at the floor, hands once more gripping at the edges of the cushions, to the point where Levi could see the white of his knuckles even from his position leaning against the illuminated bar.

 

"I shot her." he said, voice surprisingly even but Levi could still hear the hints of anger and remorse lying just beneath that calm facade. "I shot and killed my own mother."

 

Eren looked up and met Levi's eyes just then and there was something so profound about his gaze in that moment. Perhaps it was just the alcohol in Levi's system but he could have swore that in that moment when their eyes met, he fully understood the reasons behind Keith's previous words to him two years ago. Thinking back on it now, it all made sense. He heard his former captain's voice resonating in his mind, repeating things that Levi was only now slowly grasping the meaning of.

 

_"He's a good kid -- Special, just like you and Erwin. He's going to do great things and go far in life."_

 

At the time, Levi didn't think much of it, but as he stood there, staring into the depths of Eren's peculiar eyes, the Commander couldn't help but think that maybe Keith had been right about one thing. Eren was special, but whether or not that meant something good or bad remained to be seen. With his powerful biotics, Levi knew just how devastating they would be in the wrong hands. Had seen the destruction Eren could create with the simplest of things and yet, the only thing Levi could see was the raw potential -- the shining diamond in the rough.

 

While it was true that Levi hadn't trusted Eren in the beginning, over the course of these eventful two and half weeks since first departing from the Citadel, the same could not be said now. Not after learning so much about this young man who had already been through more than most people half his age. It was also in that moment that Levi realized that Eren needed guidance, and while he wasn't too keen on the idea of him being the one who guides him, he would be more than willing to at least give advice when it was needed because despite Eren's self-assured attitude and his eagerness to serve, he could still see that uncertainty in his eyes. With enough training and plenty of self-control, Levi could see Eren becoming an invaluable asset to him.

 

An asset to fight against the Reapers.

 

"Well, shit." was the only thing he could answer with once his inner musings had been dealt with. "I guess I was right when I said this conversation was going to be a heavy one."

 

"Levi," he heard Eren say, voice no longer that veneer of calm it had been earlier. No, this time it was strong and infused with the fierce resolve of a man who had plenty of weight behind his next words. "I'll be ready next time." he promised, those unwavering eyes of his laser-focused on his Commander's cool gaze. "I won't let this get the better of me next time. I can't afford to let it."

 

"No," the Commander agreed. "You can't. But, I have to admit, it's a bit of a relief to hear you say that. For a second there, I was wondering if I was going to need a replacement for you."

 

"That absolutely won't be necessary." came Eren's sure voice once more. "Nobody can do what I can do and I know I can be of use to you, Commander."

 

"Good. Glad to hear it." Downing the last of his drink, Levi decided that enough was enough for one night. His body was plenty warm and loose and his eyes were heavy enough that even he would try to fool himself into trying to get some sleep, though that was a rare thing for him. "But, just for future reference--" Levi continued. "Don't push yourself any more than you need to. I'm not asking you to fix whatever issues you have. We've all got them. Fuck, I've got my fair share of them." That earned him a breathy chuckle from the young brunet still sitting on the empty couch near the window. "Try and get some sleep, Eren. Oh, and... sorry about punching you."

 

"Thanks, Levi." were the last soft murmured words he heard just before the doors opened and closed behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congrats on finishing this long ass chapter lmao you all deserve a pat on the fucking back for that.  
> Apologies for all the links in this chapter. I just want to ensure my non-ME players know what I'm talking about and hope it'll lessen the confusion for them. 
> 
> Any, this chapter was heavy for a lot of reasons and I'm pretty sure it took me around a month to write it all just because I wanted it to be perfect, and it was. I'm very proud of this chapter for several reasons. 
> 
> Eren and Levi are finally getting somewhere!


	6. Utopia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _"♪ Am I gonna get better, better?_  
>  _Am I gonna get better, better?_  
>  _Because this feels like this might last forever_  
>  _Will I ever get better, better? ♪"_
> 
>  
> 
> **[Better](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFaqjxya3OM)** \- **Nothing but Thieves**

Days passed since their last mission on Trost. Levi could tell that his team's morale was low and Hanji made sure to remind him of it every five minutes, much to his own annoyance. The Commander was well aware that after the failure of the last mission, his team was no doubt still trying to come to terms with it. Mikasa took to rigorously beating up anyone brave enough to take her on in a sparring match down in the shuttle bay, while Armin isolated himself in the ship's main battery where he tinkered and tweaked to his heart's delight. But Eren was an entirely different story. 

 

The brunet was clearly frustrated and more agitated than usual. Any little snide remark from Jean would immediately set him off and Levi had to break up more than their fair share of scuffles on the bridge or in the mess hall. Eren was wound up tight like a spring and Levi knew he had to do something about all this and soon. For the most part, he hadn't the slightest clue as to what he could do to lift his team's spirits. Team-building had never exactly been his strong point. But, as their CO, it was his responsibility to make sure his team was in good health and Petra so very often liked to remind that that also included mental health as well. 

 

Finally, he relented and decided to take his crew to the only place he could think of. A place that had helped him deal with his own grief over the last couple of years. It was something he only shared with Hanji and his former squad members but now he was about to share it with his new team.

 

"You're taking them there?" Hanji asked, amusement coloring her tone as she grinned from ear to ear. 

 

"What's with that stupid grin on your face?" Levi said with a very put upon sigh as he finished inputting the coordinates into the shuttle's navigation system. Gunther was standing nearby, politely trying to ignore the conversation happening between his Commander and their resident Doctor. "Yes, I'm taking them to see those brats."

 

"It's just... I'm surprised." the brunette chuckled fondly. "It's so unlike you to open up like this." 

 

"I'm not opening up." the Commander said defensively. "I'm just sick and tired of hearing you nag my ear off about how depressed they all look. So, here I am, doing something about it." 

 

"Good." sniffed Hanji. "It's about time you start bonding with your team." 

 

" _Bonding_ ," He sneered. "I fucking hate that word."

 

Her grin growing impossibly wider, Hanji finally took her leave but not before sending a cheerful "Have fun!" over her shoulder as she left the shuttle bay. 

 

Rolling his eyes, Levi told himself that this little detour was not about having _fun_ but about encouragement and while he would be the first to admit to his social ineptitude when it came to dealing with situations like this, the Commander was at least reassured by the fact that he was _trying_. Nobody could fault him for that, now, could they?

 

**\-- M --**

 

It wasn't hard to detect just how upset his team was, even during the shuttle ride down to their destination. He could read the dejection and despondence all over their faces -- or, well, in Mikasa's case he could read it in her eyes -- but the one who seemed the most affected by their last mission was Eren. He sat in his seat, hunched forward, hands clasped together between his parted legs, head hanging low as he practically glared at the floor of the shuttle like it had personally offended him. 

 

Levi knew that their failure to save the colonists must be plaguing his mind, and he was probably still recovering from his bout of PTSD as well. Something like that didn't just go away overnight. It lingered for days or even weeks on end and slowly beat you down until you couldn't take anymore and even still, the effects continued to plow right through a person. He'd seen it happen more than his fair share of times; hell, he'd gone through it himself. To say that Levi understood exactly what Eren was going through would be entirely too accurate. 

 

"Um, no offense, Commander." Armin spoke up after several minutes of silence once they departed from the Titan. "Where exactly are we going?" 

 

"Don't worry about it." the raven-haired man said without so much as a glance in the blond's direction. "You'll know when we get there." 

 

Armin said nothing in response to his rather vague answer, instead choosing to sit back, lips pursed together and eyebrows furrowed as if in deep thought. Mikasa was still as a statue, face carefully blank, eyes trained on Eren's hunched form. Levi could only guess that she was concerned about his silence, but he also sensed that perhaps her concern ran a little bit deeper than just simple worry over a close friend. He wondered if perhaps Eren and Mikasa were an item of sorts. So far, he hadn't really seen anything to prove this random thought but it wasn't like it was entirely impossible. If that was the case, however, it wasn't his place to say anything. His only reservation about fraternizing with fellow soldiers and marines was that things could sometimes get messy and the last thing his squad needed was unnecessary drama happening.

 

For now, The Commander pushed those thoughts away to the furthest recesses of his mind and focused on the task at hand. When they arrived at their destination, Levi planned on showing them something he hoped would help alleviate some of that doom and gloom. While he still couldn't say for sure how he truly felt about his team just yet, he could at least admit that he saw great potential in each one of them and he would hate to see such potential wasted simply because they failed one mission. There would be plenty of failures in the future, some less disappointing and some that may be more so than their last mission. 

 

"Commander, we're coming up on our destination. ETA 2 minutes." 

 

"Take her down easy, Gunther." Levi reminded the pilot who nodded back in acknowledgement. "This is still a civilian colony."

 

"We're going to a civilian colony, sir?" Armin was the first to ask curiously. His deep blue eyes seemed to almost twinkle with something Levi couldn't quite put a name too. 

 

"Yes." was all the Commander said. 

 

Finally, Eren had stopped trying to angrily burn holes into the floor, lifting his head and with it, his own slightly questioning gaze as he regarded his Commander. Levi could see him staring at him from his peripheral view but chose not to acknowledge this. Instead, Levi unbuckled himself from his seat and stood up. He hadn't told his team to suit up, therefore, they were all decked out in their standard Alliance Fatigues. Nobody seemed to question this, at least, not out loud. Armin still looked like he was trying to deduce what was happening but Levi didn't find that at all surprising. 

 

The Shuttle trembled and shook with slight turbulence as they prepared to land, the Commander nearly loosing his footing as he approached the shuttle door, preparing to exit at a moment's notice. Gunther landed her nice and easy, once again demonstrating his absolute expertise at flying just about anything short of a skycar. Gunther was Levi's best shuttle pilot and it was the reason why the Commander only ever trusted him to get him in and out of the battlefield at any given time. 

 

"We've landed, Commander." Gunther announced. 

 

"Alright, Squad Levi." the raven addressed the younger soldiers who were all slowly unbuckling their own safety belts. "We're here."

 

The shuttle door lifted open and Levi was the first to exit, his team filtering out sluggishly one by one starting with Armin, then Mikasa and lastly Eren trailing at the back of the pack. The trio were looking around at the colony with varying degrees of confusion, curiosity and slight surprise before the Commander snapped his fingers and drew all of their eyes towards him. 

 

"Listen up." he spoke in an even tone. "This Colony is called Utopia and it's one of the Alliance's most well-defended colonies. I've brought you here because it hasn't gone completely unnoticed by me how the last mission affected you all." 

 

At his surprising words, all three soldiers regarded him with mild shame on their faces, though he didn't quite understand why. There was nothing for them to feel ashamed about. 

 

"Look," the Commander eventually sighed. "I'm not... _good_ with shit like this but, I'm also not unaware of the fact that the three of you have been beating yourselves up these last few days over what happened. So, the reason I've brought you here is because I wanted to show you something."

 

Without warning, Levi suddenly turned on his heel and started walking towards the colony's gated entrance. The four Alliance guards standing watch immediately recognized him, even dressed in nothing but his fatigues and they all greeted him with a very respectful salute, the likes of which Levi returned in kind with a nod of his head as he paused momentarily by the gates.

 

"Commander," one of the guards said. "What brings you to Utopia, sir?" 

 

"At ease," the raven said with only a slight touch of annoyance to his tone. "I'm just here to visit the brats." he said. 

 

A smile immediately made it's way onto all four guards faces and Eren, Armin and Mikasa couldn't help but send questioning glances at one another. This whole situation was a little... weird. 

 

"The kids will be thrilled when they hear you're here." one of the female guards laughed.

 

"Some of the younger ones have been asking when you'd be back." the first guard said with plenty of fondness in his tone as he motioned for the others to open the gates. 

 

Levi gave a shrug at their words, "I'm currently between missions right now so I thought I'd drop by." 

 

"Go right on in, Commander. Will you be needing an escort?" the first guard asked. 

 

"I know where I'm going." Levi dismissed before he stepped through the gates, his squad trailing in behind him. 

 

They followed after their Commander a bit slowly, but Levi didn't bother waiting for them to catch up. He had his destination in sight and he was plowing straight for it, several of the colonists recognizing him as he marched through the compound and past several buildings. 

 

"Look, it's the Commander!" 

 

"He's back? How nice of him." 

 

"He's really fond of those children, isn't he?" 

 

The three young soldiers heard the excited murmurs and whispers about their Commander, which only further confused them because they still hadn't a clue where the man was leading them. Levi seemed focused on just getting somewhere so they didn't really feel too inclined to bug him about it again. As they neared a smaller building, one with lots of windows and what looked like a children's playground around the back, Levi slowed slightly before he briskly walked up the metal stairwell that led to a large door. 

 

Before their Commander could take more than a couple of steps up the stairs, however, the sound of a boy excitedly yelling out Levi's name halted all of their steps. Turning to the source of the voice, the trio of young marines were slightly startled when they saw a small group of children start running towards them... or, rather, running towards Levi whom they swarmed like a horde of locust. 

 

Accustomed to this greeting by now, the Commander allowed himself to be boxed in by the group of kids of varying ages, all staring up at him with faces alight with glee at seeing him again. It made something in his chest tighten, in both a good and bad way. Looking into each of their young, hopeful faces, Levi couldn't help but allow himself a very tiny smile before he moved one of his hands to ruffle the hair of a small red-headed boy. He knew all of their names, remembered each of their birthdays and even knew what flavor ice-cream they all liked. It was something he took away with him each time he visited, which said a lot about how often he did so. 

 

"Commander Levi! You're back!" the group of children cheered.

 

"Hey, brats." he said in a fond tone, though his expression was kept carefully schooled. 

 

"Commander!" the little red-headed boy frantically waved at him for his attention. His name was Colin, his parents had been from London which explained the very distinct accent he had and he was by far the youngest of the group. All wild ginger hair, bright green eyes and freckles. "Commander Levi, guess what?" he said excitedly. Colin had asthma, so he tended to have a bit of a wheeze whenever he got too worked about something, which was happening now. 

 

The kids had backed up a bit, giving Levi a little breathing room. Crouching down so that he was at eye level with Colin, the raven-haired Commander gave him his full attention and nodded for the boy to continue. 

 

"What is it, brat?" 

 

"I've finally lost my first tooth!" Colin grinned brightly, showing off all his teeth and proving that he had indeed lost a tooth. It was one of his bottom front teeth and Levi gave a low hum before he crinkled his nose in mild disgust which only earned a series of giggles from the other children.

 

"Congrats on losing your first tooth, Kid. How'd you manage that?" he finally asked.

 

"Greg shoved me to the ground yesterday because I wouldn't let him on the swings and when I fell I hit my mouth and it just fell out!" Colin squeaked, eyes rounded wide as he retold his story while animatedly moving his hands. 

 

"I did not _shove_ you!" Greg, a slightly older boy, denied defensively. "I _pushed_ you. There's a difference." the taller brunet huffed. 

 

Turning keen eyes to inspect the older boy, Greg, the Commander noted with some mild amusement that he had a slow forming bruise just below his left eye prompting him to turn back to Colin who was grinning madly at him. 

 

"Did you get em back?" came Levi's smug question. 

 

"Yup!" Colin announced proudly.

 

"Good." 

 

"Commander," came the put-upon sigh of the the facility's caretaker. Glancing up from the mob of children, Levi locked gazes with Dr. Rico Brzenska. She was an Asari woman with ice-gray eyes that seemed to penetrate anyone she set her sights on. Overall, Rico was a woman who had an air of authority about her and it spoke in the low, even tone of her voice and the indifferent way she regarded most people, aside from the children, that is. "Please, do not encourage the children to resort to acts of violence." 

 

Standing from the crouched position he was previously in, the raven-haired Commander tossed a lazy shrug the Asari's way before he turned to regard her fully. "Nothing wrong with learning a little self-defense early on."

 

Dr. Brzenska regarded him with a near exasperated look before frowning and looking away, "Yes, well, it's nice of you to visit the children again so soon." 

 

"Commander! Commander!" a young brunette girl bounced excitedly next to him. "Can you stay to play with us this time? Please, please, please?"

 

Glancing back towards his squad who were still stood at the bottom of the stairs a short distance away staring up at him with plenty of confusion and uncertainty on their faces, the Commander then looked back at all the excited faces of the children he'd become so familiar with by now. 

 

"I have a couple of hours to spare," he answered shortly before following up with another piece of information he hoped would get the children to engage with his squad. "But, I've brought some people I want you all to meet, but, you all know my rules."

 

Suddenly, the kids all turned to head into the building, practically fighting to get through the door all at once. They pushed and shoved at each other until eventually they all somehow managed to squeeze through the door, disappearing inside the building, yet their childish shouting could still be heard from a distance. Rico regarded Levi's team warily at first and he prepared himself for the question he already knew was coming.

 

"What about your former squad?" she asked in mild disinterest. 

 

"Retired." was all he said, though it was said with just a touch of bitterness. "I have a new squad now." 

 

"Clearly." was Rico's sarcastic answer. "They seem a bit... young." 

 

"Clearly."

 

"Well, then. I may not be privy to the goings on regarding the Alliance but I'm assuming you've been reassigned?" 

 

Turning to address his team, Levi summoned them over with a jerk of his head and soon they were approaching the two figures quipping back and forth.

 

"Squad Levi, this is Dr. Rico Brzenska. She's in charge of this facility and oversees everything having to do with the brats you just saw." the Commander explained shortly. 

 

"How very like you." Dr. Brzenska grumbled under her breath before she decided to introduce herself. "I ensure that the children are taken care of properly and that they're ready for adoption. As you can guess, they've all been orphaned." she explained. 

 

It didn't take long for the trio of young soldiers to immediately react to this information.

 

"You mean," Armin spoke first. "This is an orphanage?" he asked. 

 

"No." Rico corrected him quickly. "It's nothing of the sort. It's a rehabilitation center. This particular group of children were orphaned during the Geth Attacks two years ago, therefore, some of them have been severely mentally and emotionally traumatized over things they saw or experienced. I oversee their behavioral patterns and ensure they get the correct treatment in order to help them recover." 

 

The Commander could tell that this new information would hit close to home for Eren, seeing the way he reacted to hearing that these children were also the victims of war, just like he had been, only these children were much younger than he had been when his own colony had been attacked. 

 

"Their colony on the planet Krolva was one of the very first places the Geth attacked two years ago." Levi explained. "I was the one they sent to search for any survivors and rescue them but when I got there, those kids were the only ones left."

 

"That's... awful." Armin could be heard whispering under his breath. 

 

"That's war." came the Commander's blunt reply. "It's why Alliance Soldiers like us are here to make sure we prevent shit like this from happening to kids like that."

 

"Yes, sir!" the trio said determinedly. Levi could already see the fire returning to their eyes. Maybe it wasn't a wasted trip, after all. 

 

"Hmm," Rico hummed in mild approval. "Well, it looks like I may have misjudged your newest squad, Commander. They seem... more than willing to be here." 

 

"Permission to speak, uh, ma'am?" Armin said sheepishly. This also seemed to earn Rico's approval, judging by the spark of interest in her pale eyes. 

 

"Permission granted." the Asari all but chuckled. 

 

"I know we may seem young but I think we'll make up for lack of experience with plenty of drive and determination." 

 

"Oh?" 

 

Though he would never admit it, Levi was impressed by Armin's bold statement and to Rico Brzenska of all people. If Armin knew that he was addressing one the deadliest former Asari Commando-turned-Matriarchs, he had a feeling the blond would not be so confident or eager. If people thought Levi was a hardass, their opinion might just change if they had known Rico during her prime. Levi was one of those people, oddly enough. 

 

"Well, then, Lieutenant...?" 

 

"Oh! A-Arlert, ma'am! Lieutenant Armin Arlert." 

 

"Lieutenant Arlert, I hope that's true. I can't even begin to tell you just how many young, fresh-faced recruits have said something similar and end up getting themselves shot and killed." 

 

Of course, Levi also had to agree with Rico on that subject. Hubris was usually the downfall of all young, cocky recruits who first joined the Alliance. But, on the other hand, Levi had already been out on two very important and critical missions with his new squad and so far, they had shown that they were more than capable of handling themselves in the field. He was slowly but surely starting to build confidence in his squad, but that did not mean he was unaware of their faults as well. They still needed plenty of training and guidance.

 

"We just want to do our part, ma'am." came Armin's earnest answer. "We're also victims of a war that should have never happened in the first place." 

 

At Armin's words, Levi's stormy eyes caught a glimpse of the consternation on Eren's face as the brunet frowned and glanced down to stare at his boots. It seemed even he hadn't expected Armin to be so open about their situation, yet he didn't seem entirely upset about it. Perhaps it was just something he'd come to accept by now. Hearing Armin refer to them both as "victims" must have been more than a little vexing, but not any less true. 

 

"...I see." was Rico's quiet answer. "Well, I wish you all the best of luck on your next mission. I'm sure with the Commander's guidance, you'll all become some of the finest marines we've ever seen." 

 

Levi couldn't help but scoff sardonically at Rico's words. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, Brzenska." 

 

The elder Asari woman seemed to flash something akin to a smirk in the Commander's direction, earning an eye roll from the raven before he was moving to address his squad. The rest of whatever Rico quietly seemed to be teasingly expressing to Levi went unacknowledged as the group of children suddenly returned in a near stampede, startling Eren and the others as they were surrounded. Levi made sure to introduce his squad to the kids, but once that awkward ordeal was over, the Commander had been almost surprised to see just how quickly the children warmed up to his team. Particularly, Eren. 

 

Levi watched the brunet from afar, noting just how easily he clicked with the kids, participating in all their little games and carrying around some of the younger ones who demanded his attention. Eren seemed all too glad to be around the brats, which Levi found only slightly amusing. In the end, as he and his squad returned to the shuttle later that afternoon, he could already see the change in all three of them. It seemed an afternoon spent with his other brats had left a heavy impression on his new team and that's exactly what he had hoped would happen. 

 

Upon returning to the Titan, Levi was greeted by none other than a smug Hanji with a huge shit-eating-grin on her face. Rather than stay and be bombarded by the scientist, the Commander chose to head up to the observatory for a bit of downtime. After all that social interaction, Levi needed a moment to himself, to just recharge and gather his thoughts. He hadn't realized just how exhausting it was to play with a bunch of children until he reached the observatory and plopped down in one of the plush seats with a heavy sigh. His body felt heavy and he also felt like he desperately needed a shower but, currently, he did not have the energy to do so. 

 

He only got a few minutes of blissful solitude, of course, because the door to the observatory was hissing open, announcing the arrival of an unwanted guest. Levi had his eyes closed while reclining back in his chair, but frowned as he was forced to crack one eye open to see who it was that was stupid enough to disrupt his peace and quiet. Why was he not at all surprised to see that it was Eren Jaeger of all people? The kid seemed to have a death wish or something. It was no wonder his nickname among the other crew members was "Suicidal Bastard". 

 

"Uh, Commander?" came his hesitant voice. Levi only gave a rather grouchy grunt in response. "Is this... a bad time, sir?" 

 

Sighing through his nose, Levi finally opened both of his eyes and sat up from his comfortable position on the chair. "Don't ask stupid questions like that, Jaeger. Just spit it out." 

 

Eren hesitated once more, his posture stiff as a board as he entered the room, the door hissing shut behind him. Luminous turquoise orbs did their best not to make direct eye contact with the Commander's glowering expression. From Levi's position, Eren almost resembled a child about to be reprimanded by his mother. Something told him that whatever it was Eren wanted to speak with him about, it wasn't going to be a very fun topic. 

 

"I... just wanted to apologize for my behavior these last few days." 

 

"What?" 

 

"I know I shouldn't have let my past trauma get the better of me like that. I-I know that we're not always going to succeed during every mission and I know that failure is just part of it but I still... I couldn't--" he cut himself off sharply with a frustrated sigh before a hand was coming up to roughly card through his hair. "Anyway, that's not what I came here to say. I wanted to tell you that I get it now." 

 

"You get what, exactly?" The Commander asked, moving to stand from his seat.

 

The young Lieutenant's eyes followed Levi's form as the Commander walked across the room. "Why you took us to that colony today. I understand now that there's still more at risk here than just failing to save one colony from Cerberus. Just because we failed once, is no reason for me to act like it's the end of the world. There are still other people out here throughout the galaxy that we need to save, need to protect, like those kids." 

 

"And?" Levi prompted, hoping that wasn't all Eren had come to realize. "What else?" 

 

At his question, the raven-haired man saw the shift in expression on Eren's face, from anxious hesitance to quiet but fierce resolve. Were he a lesser man, Levi might have been intimidated by the pure moxie he saw. He could practically see the wild, untamed spirit in those strangely colored eyes, like a chained beast just waiting to be released so that it could unleash it's all consuming rage on the world. This thought was only solidified with Eren's next words to him. 

 

"I'm not going to forget what Cerberus did." he nearly growled out. "I won't let them get away with this and next time I'm going to make sure we completely erase them." His contemptuous words stirred something deep inside the Commander. Some kind of personal resolve he had nearly forgotten. Hearing the absolute disdain in Eren's voice reminded him of his own disdain for something much more dangerous -- The Reapers. If Eren was meant to be the greatest Human Biotic weapon and if he was as dangerous as he claimed, then Levi saw no reason why he shouldn't utilize the brunet in the war against the Reapers as well. 

 

"Good." he nodded with approval. "Use that anger to your benefit, Jaeger. Don't let one failed mission make you forget your true purpose. You're a Soldier with the Alliance Navy and you'll do everything in your power to defend Humanity and all it's allies." 

 

"Yes, sir." 

 

"Never forgive Cerberus for what they've done." 

 

"Never, sir!" 

 

"But most importantly," Levi paused, his voice softening to just above a whisper as storm-gray eyes moved to stare out of the port observatory window. The darkness of space seemed to stretch on forever, with thousands and thousands of distant stars painting it's emptiness. "Don't ever forget about the ones we've let down either. Remember each and every one of them and promise to do better the next time. We owe it to them." 

 

His own words were words that had once been said to him by none other than Keith Shadis. Judging by the slight surprise on the brunet's face, they were words Eren was already familiar with by now. Keith hadn't just been Levi's Commanding Officer, but a mentor of sorts. He had taught Levi how to grieve when the bitter taste of loss was hard to swallow. Had it not been for Keith reaching out a hand and pulling Levi up from the darkest pits of guilt and self-blame, perhaps he wouldn't have been alive today to stand before Keith's proudest accomplishment. Eren looked like he wanted to say something else, but Levi didn't want to give him anymore reason to linger.

 

"Dismissed, Lieutenant." As if to emphasize the fact that this conversation was done, Levi straightened his posture and squared his shoulders back. "Get some rest."

That at least had effectively stopped the brunet from trying to open his mouth and say anything else. Instead, Levi watched as Eren pursed his lips together while nodding and saluting his Commander before he turned on his heel to leave. Only once the door to the observatory had closed did Levi return to his relaxed posture with a sigh. Honestly, this new crew of his was starting to take it's toll on him. Distantly, he wondered if he had ever been this troublesome for his former Captain. The thought of having a heart to heart with Keith Shadis of all people almost made the Commander want to laugh out loud. Still, Keith had sort of become a Father figure to him in many ways. He had watched Levi grow up and make mistakes and lament over those mistakes, always making sure to reassure him with firm but comforting words no matter what the situation. Perhaps this was yet another commonality he found between himself and Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who forgot what Asari look like, here's a link! [**(X)**](https://weelin83.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/asariconcept.jpg)
> 
> A filler-ish sort of chapter but a kind of important filler for future developments.  
> Enjoy Squad Levi bonding a bit~


	7. Words Fire like a Bullet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _"♪ Mouth like the Barrel of a Loaded Gun_  
>  _Voice like a Wielded Weapon, Mind comes undone_  
>  _Words Fire like a Bullet of a Loaded Gun ♪"_
> 
>  
> 
> **Loaded** \- **Just A Gent, Melissa Ramsay**

"Why are we docking on the Citadel again?" Jean grumbled. "I thought we were right in the middle of some important mission to take down Cerberus or whatever." 

 

 _"That is correct, Flight Lieutenant. However, Councilor Smith has requested the Titan be temporarily docked on the Citadel for some much needed maintenance."_

 

Startling at the sudden and unexpected answer, Jean warily eyed his surroundings. Since Hanji installed that damn VI of theirs into the ship's Drive core, he felt like he no longer had any privacy. The thing was always listening and it didn't matter what part of the ship you were in, it had this annoying habit of answering people's rhetorical questions and scaring the living shit out of them. Still, he had to admit that having the VI around was a big help when it came to flying through Cerberus-infested territory. Their ship's cloaking mechanism was top-notch but it could only hide them from the naked eye. Avoiding detection on an enemy scanner was an entirely different story but with Marco's added help, hiding from Cerberus in plain sight had never been easier. 

 

"What's the point in having skilled engineers to make sure the ship is always up and running if we still have to make pit stops at the Citadel every few weeks?" the pilot complained. 

 

_"I believe the point is to replenish any supplies that may have depleted over the time of last departure--"_

 

"It was a rhetorical question." Jean sighed. "Jeez, where the hell is the off button on this thing?" 

 

_"..."_

 

At Marco's lack of reply, the pilot released a breath of relief because finally for the first time in days he had some peace and quiet. He still found Hanji's little program creepy as hell but there wasn't much he could do about it. Commander Levi had approved the installation of this crazy project of theirs and unless their Commander said otherwise, the VI was staying. 

 

In truth, it wasn't even that Jean was all that upset about returning to the Citadel. He grew up on the station, so coming home every once in a while was nice, but he would much rather come back once he'd made more of a name for himself with the Alliance. Since enlisting, Jean had always dreamed of climbing the ranks high enough to be one of those over privileged Officers that had a swanky office suite somewhere on the Citadel where they could sit around in the lap of luxury while bossing around suicidal idiots like Eren. 

 

Still, while that had been his original goal starting out with the Alliance, once the war with the Geth broke out, Jean had stepped up as a young pilot and seen things with his own eyes that changed that original aspiration. While, yes, he still wanted to climb the ranks and make a name for himself, he also wanted to make sure their colonies were safe. Growing up on the Citadel among various other Alien species had really helped him realize just how alone the Human race was in this galaxy. The harsh reality of everything was that each species looked out for their own and no one else. The Turian's still had some old, lingering hostilities towards humans thanks to the First Contact War and the same could be said for Humans towards Turians. The Asari liked to simply stand off to the side and play the mediator while Salarian's could care less about all three species.

 

As a Citadel kid, Jean had seen the drastic differences between humans and other aliens. Not just anatomically or biologically, but their thought-processes were all different. While, of course, Humans were not perfect, neither were any of the other species. Turians were all about service and duty. Asari still confused him, even as an adult. Everyone knew that the Asari lived for up to 1,000 years, just like the Krogan, but the whole idea of an all-female race was beyond weird. Not counting the fact that Asari could reproduce with virtually any other species in the galaxy and still produce yet another Asari. Hell, he had even met a young Asari girl who's father had been a Vorcha of all things. Why anyone would procreate with a Vorcha was beyond the Pilot's comprehension. 

 

Salarian's were too self-involved, in his personal opinion. Smart as a fucking whip, sure, but still way too self-involved. It was pretty much a well known fact that Salarian's considered themselves intellectually superior to every other race in the galaxy, and who could deny them the right to brag about shit like that when the bastards were the masterminds behind the Genophage that caused the Korgan to become nearly sterile and unable to reproduce without great effort. Still, that was ancient history and the Krogan were still doing their best to continue their way of life on Tuchanka even after all these centuries.

 

"Kirstein," glancing back over his shoulder, Jean could see his Commander approaching the bridge. "What's taking so long to dock?" the man snapped. 

 

"Not my fault, Commander. Citadel Security is taking their sweet ass time granting us permission to dock." 

 

"Tch." taking two large steps forward, Levi was soon invading Jean's personal space and leaning across the pilot to access the Comm systems. "Citadel Security, this is Commander Levi of the SSV Titan. Are we clear to dock or not?" 

 

The pair of soldiers were met with radio silence for a couple of seconds, before they heard some static and feedback. 

 

"Welcome back to the Citadel, Commander. SSV Titan, you are clear to land." 

 

"Are you fuckin' kidding me." Jean grumbled to himself quietly. 

 

Levi heard him despite this and snorted out what sounded suspiciously close to a snicker. Of course, there were no obvious signs of this assumption, seeing as the Commander kept his face carefully impassive and blank more than half the time. 

 

"Take us down, Flight Lieutenant." 

 

"... Aye, aye, sir."

**\-- M --**

Growing up on the Citadel had been an interesting experience for Jean. His father had served with the Alliance and even participated in the First Contact War, while his mother had served as a medic on Earth before meeting his Father. After the War ended, hostilities between humans and Turians were still very high, that was without question. Twenty-six-years-later and the same could still be said, though the hostilities were a little less obvious these days. 

 

Still, growing up alongside other various alien species on the Citadel had been life changing. He grew up watching young aliens of various races pass through the space station, staying for short periods of time before moving on. It had been hard making friends and even less so when it came to dating as a teenager. He couldn't even remember how many times he'd been rejected by the Asari woman who used to entertain at the nightclub located in the Wards. Her name was Talia and Jean had fancied her for quite some time. Initially, she had been one of the reasons he enlisted with the Alliance, to impress Talia and, of course, climb the ranks and gain fame and notoriety and all that dumb shit teenagers daydreamed about when they had nothing better to do. Funnily enough, once he completed basic training and discovered his talent for flying ships, all thoughts of Talia vanished. 

 

As Jean wandered the [Presidium](https://res.cloudinary.com/lmn/image/upload/e_sharpen:100/f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto/v1/gameskinnyc/s/e/e/seetz-6e4c6.jpg), his amber eyes caught sight of a familiar violet figure in the distance. He stopped only briefly to squint, a small part of him wondering if the Asari he noticed chatting up a couple of Volus merchants was the person he assumed it was. After a second or two of squinting the pilot decided it wasn't worth his time, shoving his hands into the pockets of his fatigues and continuing his leisurely stroll through the scenic Presidium Commons. A lot had changed on the station since the Geth attack two years ago. Or, as Jean so often liked to correct, the huge ass Reaper that nearly destroyed the whole fucking station thanks to the Council's regrettable oversight. 

 

He had been there two years ago, a fresh initiate for the N7 program flying one of the Alliance's many interceptor ships. Jean remembered just how terrified he'd been of possibly dying that day, there had been so many damn geth ships coming in from literally nowhere. Of course, the geth ships were nothing in comparison to that monstrosity of a fucking Reaper that decided to land right on the tip of the Citadel Tower. There was no denying what it was, especially when he'd heard the thing actually communicate with Commander Levi's ship. He didn't understand how the Council, having had their asses saved by not only Levi but Councilor Smith as well, could still disregard their claims of a possible Reaper attack in the near future after everything they had seen and heard. 

 

After that fateful day, the Council swept the entire Reaper encounter under the rug, blaming the attack on rogue Geth like it was no big fucking deal and the worst part of it was the rest of Citadel space actually _believed_ them. It was sickening, and just yet another reason for why Jean had decided to leap at the chance of becoming the pilot for Levi's ship. He didn't want to call the Commander his Hero, per se. But, he would say that he respected the hell out of the man and wanted to help him make the council recognize that the threat of Reapers was real. 

 

"Jean?" a sweet voice called. "Is that you?" 

 

He stopped at the sound of that all too familiar voice. Jean turned, hands still in his pockets as he faced the Asari woman properly. Talia was exactly the same as he remembered her, her skin a deep violet color and the unique facial markings a stark white in contrast. Talia smiled kindly at him, her blue eyes softening as she approached him. Jean couldn't help but notice that she was still wearing those damn form-fitting dresses with the slit up the right leg. Six years ago, the sight of her wearing a dress like that would have driven him wild. Now, however, he found nothing all that special about it. 

 

"Talia." he said with a sort of half-smirk. "Been awhile." 

 

"I'll say." the Asari woman tittered. She came to a stop just a couple of feet away from the ash-blond soldier. Jean didn't miss the way she eyed him closely in his Alliance fatigues. "You've... grown."

 

"Yeah, that's what joining the military and fighting in a war will do to you." 

 

"Poor thing." Talia cooed, taking a step closer to him. One hand already reaching out to touch his left arm. "This uniform suits you. Who would have guessed that our little Jean-bo would grow up to be such a fine soldier, fighting for the sake of Citadel Space." 

 

Jean couldn't help but slightly frown at the use of his old childhood nickname. He hated when people used that name, especially his mom. If Talia was trying to flirt with him, or worse, seduce him, Jean found he was not at all interested. Besides, since joining the Alliance, he'd had his fair share of one night stands and midnight romps in the barracks with various men and women. The thought of hooking up with Talia was a boring one. He had grown up and moved on from her a long time ago. 

 

 _"FL. Kirstein,"_ The sound of Marco's familiar electronic voice was almost a relief to Jean in that very moment. As if on cue, his omni-tool appeared over his right forearm glowing a soft orange. 

 

"What is it?" he asked, hoping to whatever kind of higher power that this would be a reason to excuse himself and avoid the headache of rejecting Talia's poor advances. The Asari watched his exchange with plenty of interest, however. 

 

_"Commander Levi has requested your presence back on the Titan."_

 

"I'll head over there right away." Returning his attention back to Talia, he noted with some mild exasperation that the Asari looked rather impressed. "Duty calls." he said with a shrug before he was making to leave. 

 

"Oh," the Asari woman said, her earlier flirtatious demeanor nowhere to be found. "Alright. It was good to see you again, Jean. Don't be a stranger." 

 

Jean managed to make his great escape, sighing with plenty relief once he was far enough away from Talia. He heard a familiar beep on the private frequency of his omni-tool prompting him to tune in. 

 

 _"Apologies, FL. Kirstein. That previous request for your presence on the ship was false information."_

 

"No shit," snorted Jean. "I kind of figured that out myself. Levi asking the ships VI to contact me? That will be the day." 

 

 _"I could sense that you were highly uncomfortable speaking with that Asari."_

 

"That's..." what he wanted to say was that was creepy as fuck, but something else caught his attention instead. "Wait, I didn't know VIs could lie." he said instead. "What's with that?" 

 

 _"VIs cannot lie, this is true. They are simply designed to do as they are programmed to."_

 

Jean had to roll his eyes at that vague explanation. "And you're programmed to lie?" he asked sarcastically.

 

 _"... I am not."_ Marco admitted hesitantly. Jean was starting to get just a little suspicious of that strange answer. Everything about Marco was weird and creepy, but, who the hell was he to question what he could or couldn't do? Hanji was crazy enough to probably make some kind of weird VI that could lie, for all he knew. He wasn't about to start questioning them now. 

 

"Whatever. I guess I owe you for helping me out of that fucking awkward as hell situation. If you ever need an oil change or something, I've got your back, buddy." it was a terrible joke, but it wasn't like there was anyone around to hear it anyway. 

 

_"Noted."_

**\-- M --**

Mikasa's dark eyes couldn't help but follow that all too familiar petite but powerful figure as he walked through the [Wards](https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/197427281731748239/A6CA9B0E08767FA93A9B83C957E2D4FE254BCA35/). Commander Levi was probably on his way to the Embassy Suites to meet with Councilor Smith. That was the whole reason for why they had docked on the Citadel. The Corporal watched as her Commander stalked past several groups of people hoping to stop him for an interview or a signature but true to his reputation of being highly intimidating and highly unapproachable, Levi sent those groups of people away with just a glare and a couple of harsh words. 

 

Their ships Yeoman was also with the Commander and Mikasa could see the slight discomfort on Petra's face as a result of Levi's brusque behavior, but she otherwise did not seem fazed by it. From what Mikasa understood, Petra had served with the Commander for some time now so maybe she was simply used to his curt and gruff attitude towards most people. She made a mental note of this. Still, the raven-haired Corporal could not understand what Eren saw in their (admittedly) Shrimp-y Commander. As long as she had known the brunet, Commander Levi was the only thing he could ever seem to focus on. Perhaps it was simple Hero Worship, which would explain a lot of things, but Mikasa wasn't dumb enough to believe that was all it was. 

 

Especially not since they began serving directly under the man himself. She could remember the day they received the news of their reassignment clearly; Eren had been ecstatic, and maybe even that word was an understatement. Of course, most of the people they knew in the Alliance would have given an arm or a leg just to meet Levi in person, let alone serve under him on his crew. Mikasa could see why most Alliance Soldiers put Levi in such high regard, but that didn't mean she felt the same or even understood it. He was definitely beyond strong -- stronger than anyone she has ever encountered. 

 

Her mind drifted back to that sparring match she had challenged him to not too long ago. It had not been her intention to do it, at least, not consciously, but when she saw the man step off the elevator dressed down from his usual fatigues and moving to start up a workout of his own, something just took over and the next thing she knew she was challenging him to a spar with her. 

 

Needless to say, she lost. It was not a feeling she was not accustomed to, losing to someone in an area she has excelled in all her life. From a very young age, Mikasa had learned to fight to survive. What she dared never to say out loud, to Eren, to Armin, to anyone, was that she had been chasing Levi for a very long time now. Maybe longer than she even cared to remember, but it took far too long for her to reach him and now she was finally there, sharing a vessel with the very man himself and still she could not find the right time or opportunity to approach him. Regardless of this, Mikasa figured there was no rush in doing this. She's waited this long, what was a few more days or weeks? 

 

"-kasa? Mikasa!" 

 

Dark eyes blinked, swirling thoughts that clouded her mind like a thick fog lifted instantly and the Corporal was suddenly thrust back into reality. Familiar large brown eyes and messy chocolate hair stepped into her field of vision, followed by a head of blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Sasha and Krista were looking at her with various levels of curiosity and concern. Curiosity on Sasha's part and concern on Krista's. Mikasa had nearly forgotten that she was spending her brief shore leave with her fellow female crew members this afternoon. 

 

"Is everything alright?" Krista asked sweetly.

 

"Yeah, you were practically burning a hole through the wall with that scary glare. Something on your mind?" Sasha asked, her mouth already moving in familiar chewing motions. 

 

"No." Mikasa was quick to dismiss, forcing a smile on her face. "It's nothing. Just thinking about our mission." 

 

"Oh." was the simultaneous response she received. 

 

Sasha's curious stare was now replaced with one of regret and slight shame. "I guess... it must be hard to think about what happened on the last mission, huh?" 

 

"Kind of." Mikasa answered stiffly. "But, we promised the Commander that we wouldn't let one failure stop us."

 

"Exactly!" Kirsta suddenly cheered. "We have to keep getting up even when we're knocked and beaten down! Otherwise, we'll be letting so many people down, including ourselves..." 

 

"I know." The Corporal sighed heavily. "I'm not going to keep dwelling on past mistakes. We've got to keep moving forward." 

 

"Alright! Speaking of moving forward," Sasha moved to start walking off toward the Zakera Wards where a Cafe was situated not too far from where the trio of women stood. "How about we move forward towards lunch? I'm absolutely starving!" 

 

Krista and Mikasa exchanged fondly exasperated glances with one another before they were smiling and moving to join their gluttonous crew mate. 

 

"Okay, but Mikasa and I aren't paying this time." Krista playfully warned. Sasha's almost giddy expression over the idea of food was practically wiped clean from her face, a horrified look replacing it and prompting Mikasa to stifle a laugh. "We're going for a light lunch and nothing else." 

 

"But, Kristaaaa!! How can you do this to a hard-working, starving Engineer!?" 

 

"Starving?" Mikasa snorted. "Pretty sure you just had breakfast awhile ago and then swindled Connie out of the snacks that he's been stashing away for an emergency." 

 

"Hey!" the brunette bristled. "I won that game of Rock, Paper, Scissors fair and square! Sasha Braus ain't no stinkin' cheat!" 

 

"The last time I checked, Rock, Paper, Scissors didn't have 'Waterfall' as an option for winning the game." 

 

"IT COUNTS!!"

\-- M --

Levi approached a familiar door, his feet stopping just before it as he took a moment to prepare himself. Erwin had requested a meeting with him in person, face to face, so that must mean he had discovered something important. So important, it warranted a trip back to the Citadel with Ship Maintenance as a cover. The SSV Titan was still decently stocked and supplied, in all honesty, they probably could have gone another month or so without needing to dock on the Citadel but Erwin's transmission had seemed urgent. 

 

Rolling his neck and squaring his shoulders, Levi accessed the bright-green digital panel on the door and waited as it hissed open and allowed him entrance. He took four measured steps in, stormy eyes sweeping across the entire suite before settling on the figure sat behind a glass desk. Erwin was alone, much to Levi's surprise. He had half expected to find Hanji spread across his desk, not a scene Levi was keen on reliving again anytime soon, or ever. The blond Councilor looked up from the datapad in his hand, his blue eyes rising to meet Levi's figure still lingering by the door. 

 

"Levi," he greeted fondly. "You're late." 

 

With a roll of his eyes, the Commander finally stepped into the room and moved to take a seat across from his former commanding officer. 

 

"Pardon my lack of punctuality," the raven snarked back. "I wanted to make sure I didn't walk in on you with your pants around your ankles and your dick out." 

 

Erwin sighed heavily at his words, which only pleased Levi because he knew he was doing a fantastic job of ruining the man's good mood. 

 

"Honestly, Levi. It happened once and only once." the blond Councilor said as he leaned back into his chair. "But, it seems to have taught you not to go around bypassing locked doors on the Citadel anymore." 

 

"Who said I stopped bypassing locked doors?" Levi fired back. "I just stopped trying to bypass any of _your_ locked doors." 

 

"... Appreciated." Erwin said blandly. "Now, before our banter gets too out of hand, I'd like to continue with this meeting." 

 

"The floor is yours, _Councilor_."

 

Levi watched as Erwin stood up from his seat, his one good arm moving to lock behind his back as his prosthetic one stayed hanging by his side. It was still a bit odd seeing Erwin with that hunk of metal bolted into empty space where a perfectly good arm once was. The Commander remembered how hard it was for the man some days, to get used to using an arm that was not his own and that was controlled by wires and tech too complicated for most people to even understand. But Erwin didn't let the loss of such an important appendage stop him from achieving his goals and he had done just that. Now he was a Councilor representing all of Humanity and the Alliance Military. His words carried weight and people were sure to listen to anything he had to say. 

 

"I've received an interesting new lead regarding Cerberus." the blond started. "Though, it's definitely what you would call a suspicious lead." 

 

"Why do you say that?" Levi asked warily. 

 

"Because," Erwin turned to face the Commander, a hard look on his face. "I was approached by someone claiming to be a former Cerberus Operative." 

 

"Bullshit." 

 

"Exactly." 

 

Levi and Erwin exchanged a long stare between one another. The raven could read almost exactly what Erwin was thinking in his pale, blue eyes before the man even said anything and he was more than sure that Erwin could pick up on all the questions and concerns already shooting around in the Commander's brain. 

 

"Alright, so aside from the obvious lie about this guy being a former Cerberus Operative, what else about this lead seems fucked?" 

 

The Councilor was silent for a long moment, his eyes unwavering from Levi's stormy glare. "She's an Asari woman." he said, finally. "Not just any Asari woman, either." 

 

"Erwin," Levi stressed with a very clear sigh of frustration. "Tell me you're not going to send me on some wild fucking goose chase to track down this Asari bullshitter." 

 

"Of course not, Commander." came Erwin's much too calm answer. "I know exactly where she is." 

 

"Then, what?" the Commander couldn't help but snap. He was growing tired of Erwin's little games. He needed to come clean and tell Levi exactly what the fuck it was he wanted him to do. "This lead is obviously fucking fake. You and everyone else knows that Cerberus is strictly pro-human. Hell, Hanji even goes as far as to say they're Anti-alien and a bunch of xenophobes." 

 

"They were." Erwin clarified. 

 

"Were?" Levi parroted. "As in, what, they're suddenly not anymore? That's some Grade A bullshit if I've ever heard any. Cerberus is only out for their own interests and everyone knows they claim to have Humanity's best interest in mind despite all the horrible fucking shit we've caught them doing recently." 

 

"That's just it, Levi. Cerberus started out as nothing more than a group of humans who wanted to protect Humanity from the dangers of Citadel Space as well as within the Terminus Systems. They started out with good intentions and up until the incident with the Geth a couple of years ago, they had been a group solely focused on human interests and the advancement of Humankind. However, according to our Asari informant, Cerberus is under new management."

 

Levi didn't like anything he was hearing. Not one bit of it. Something about this new information sat wrong with him and his gut was telling him that there was more to this than they knew. 

 

"This smells like a fucking trap." 

 

"Perhaps." Erwin agreed. "But, this new information could help us decide whether Cerberus gets away with all their crimes and wins or us catching them and stopping their little ring of horrors." 

 

"Tch, damn it. None of this shit is making any sense." Levi complained. "Well, fuck it. You've clearly got your mind made up already. So, just, give me the damn location for this Asari informant of yours so I can hurry up and prove that I was right all along." 

 

"I don't doubt you're right, Levi. This most definitely is a trap, but if it means getting any closer to learning about our enemy, it's a trap we must willingly fall into." 

 

"I've always hated your way of thinking." The Commander grumbled. "But, you're probably right. So, where am I heading off to this time?" 

 

"Omega." 

 

Levi visibly stiffened at that name, his eyes already narrowing as he settled a fierce glare on the blond Councilor who stood before him, a knowing smile on his face. 

 

"Fuck. No." was all the raven said as he suddenly stood up. "I am _NOT_ going to that fucking shit hole. Tell your Asari rat that they'll have to meet me somewhere else." 

 

The Commander made to leave, but was stopped just as he reached the door by the sound of Erwin's voice calling out to him. 

 

"Oh, Commander." the Councilor called. "That was the other thing I failed to mention. This Asari woman -- She runs the whole of Omega, if such a thing is even possible."

 

Levi halted and suddenly whipped back around to call Erwin out on his shit. "No. Fucking bullshit. This whole fucking thing is bullshit. Run Omega? It's a shitty rock in the middle of the shittiest part of space filled with shitty criminals and run by said shitty criminals."

 

But, it figures that Erwin ignored Levi's complaining as he pushed forward with the mission details anyway. "You are to head to Omega and meet with Annie Leonhart at the Afterlife night club located on the station itself."

 

"Are you fucking listening to me, you big tree?" 

 

"Then you are to exchange information with the target. If she shows any signs of resistance or retaliation, I give you permission to act as you see fit, Commander." 

 

"Erwin--"

 

"But, if possible, try to refrain from killing her. She could still have valuable information, after all." 

 

Levi fell silent, his harsh glare focused solely on the tall, blond Councilor. 

 

"... I hope your dick gets chewed off by a hungry [Varren](https://68.media.tumblr.com/2ab80fd44553368b4ea724061cc193d5/tumblr_o9tjgqmVJY1qdfv6io1_500.gif)." 

 

As the Commander finally turned and left the Councilor's suite, he could hear Erwin chuckling behind him. 

 

"Good luck, Levi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the lack of linked references in this chapter. Didn't want to give away too much.  
> But, looks like Levi is heading to the place of all his nightmares so that should be fun.


	8. The Monster Always Wins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _"♪ Under the knife I surrendered, the innocence yours to consume_  
>  _You cut it away and you filled me up with hate_  
>  _You thought I'd forget, but it's always in my head_  
>  _Can you change me?_  
>  _From the monster you made me? ♪"_
> 
>  
> 
> **[Monster](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIa5Y1G3Pcc)** \- **Starset**

Eren never liked docking on the Citadel. For him, the titanic space station was nothing more than the home of an absent Father who never bothered to acknowledge his existence, aside from using him as a subject in his sick little experiments. Eren could still remember the cold sting of a needle being repeatedly stuck into his arms, neck and legs. It had been painful; so painful that most times he would pass out from the intensity of said pain. Sometimes, he would look forward to the moment when he would pass out, because at least then he wouldn't be conscious during the rest of the tests. 

 

Needless to say, Grisha had hidden the experiments from his mother but that didn't last very long. Eventually, Carla saw the bruises from the needle points on his arms and legs and noticed the side effects those experiments had on Eren. He could clearly remember the violent waves of nausea he had for weeks on end after a certain experiment that had been done on his implants. He was unable to hold down any food or water and it got to the point where Grisha had Eren hospitalized. The hospital, of course, was just a ruse. In truth, it was a Cerberus Facility and Eren could still remember that horrible place vividly. The smell of overwhelmingly strong antiseptics and the sight of syringes of varying sizes lying on a small table by an even smaller bed. 

 

It was there that Eren underwent his last implant surgery. Grisha had claimed that these new implants, something he dubbed the L5x, would give him incredible power. Well, at least he hadn't been lying about that part, but still, the surgery for the new implants themselves was strenuous and the recovery process was painful. As a result, Eren was unable to control most of his new powers. It was inevitable, he was only 9-years-old at the time. After that, the experiments came to a full stop and Grisha disappeared from his life. 

 

Whether it was because the man achieved his goal or Eren simply failed his tests, he didn't know nor did he care to know. Still, it was common knowledge that Grisha resided on the Citadel with his wife Dina. From what Eren understood, the woman was the Daughter of some family descended from Royalty back on Earth and that was apparently enough to grant her a spot as a rather influential Ambassador on the Citadel. For the most part, Grisha and Dina were the main reasons why Eren tried to stay as far away from the Citadel as possible. But, he supposed this time it couldn't be helped. Their ship needed to be dry-docked for a day in order to receive necessary maintenance and Mikasa had been dragged off by the other girls to do some shopping while Armin got wrangled into helping Hanji with acquiring new tech material to ensure that Marco was maintained properly as well. 

 

So, that's pretty much how he ended up alone in the Embassy Suites debating on whether or not he should go and see the last person he would ever want to see again. He was well-aware of Grisha's former status as a Cerberus Doctor but whether or not that information meant anything to anyone on this station had yet to be determined. So far, it seemed like the things their squad had seen first-hand regarding Cerberus was kept under wraps, though he didn't understand why. Then again, he supposed it was a Human matter in the end. All of Citadel Space probably wouldn't care about a crazed group of Human terrorists running amok abducting Human colonies and using Geth Technology to do twisted experiments on said Human colonists. 

 

The Embassy was crawling with people of all races and species, most of them politicians and diplomats. Nobody Eren cared to know or meet. He knew that his Commander was definitely around here on this level somewhere, considering this is where Councilor Smith resided. The raven-haired man had said nothing other than he needed to meet with the Councilor and report back about their latest development with Cerberus but somehow Eren highly doubted anyone on their crew believed that was the whole story. He wasn't entirely sure what the nature of the relationship between Commander Levi, Councilor Smith and Dr. Zoe was but he was smart enough to know that the three of them met in the Comm room often enough to be suspicious of. Technically, they were supposed to answer to Fleet-Admiral Darius Zackly but it was no secret that Erwin was the one giving out the orders on this mission. It went without saying that the man clearly had some sway regarding the Alliance, despite no longer being a commissioned Officer or a Soldier. The whole situation was odd, but Eren wasn't about to start questioning their mission now. 

 

Finally, once he felt he had paced quite enough in the lobby, Eren decided he would muster all his courage and see that despicable man who unfortunately was his Father. It had been several years since he last saw Grisha, the last time being around the age of Fifteen when he was brought to the Citadel on a school trip. He had only seen the man from a distance, with a blonde woman and a young blond-haired man wearing glasses. The trio had seemed to be having a rather serious discussion, but despite this Grisha had looked up and seen him. At the time, fear had gripped Eren's heart and he remembered looking away quickly, hoping Grisha wouldn't recognize him. The memories of the experiments were still quite fresh in his mind, so fear was the only reaction he could give at that time. 

 

Now, however, he was a grown man no longer plagued by his memories of torture and pain. Now, he was a Soldier plagued by memories of blood and fire and War. But he wasn't afraid of those memories. He used them to fuel his anger and determination to stop the impending danger that loomed over the Galaxy, threatening every person and every home. He would face Grisha as that Soldier and prove that he's capable of doing something good for Humanity -- for the entire Galaxy using the powers that despicable man gave him. 

 

Eren approached a familiar door, the bright green circle of an access panel was the only sign that Grisha was there somewhere in that suite. Some small part of him wished the access panel had been an angry red, signaling a locked door. Maybe then he could abandon this horrible idea, but instead, he was stood there prepared to face the source of all his childhood traumas. He didn't have any specific reason or plan for confronting Grisha, which in hindsight probably wasn't very smart of him, but he did know that he needed to do this. For himself, for his mother, for some kind of closure. 

 

He chose not to announce himself in any way, as that would only help Grisha prepare some kind of plan in advance and Eren wanted him off his guard completely. Instead, he simply walked in once the door had hissed open. The inside of the Suite was just like any other he had seen, with nothing particular standing out or catching his interest. There were a few common plants situated in corners, a common looking desk and a computer set up on top of it, the chair behind it was empty and there were no signs of the man he was seeking. Turquoise eyes swept the rest of the attached room, noting the lack of any picture frames or photos. Nothing about the office said a man who had been married for over thirty years with a family resided here. It was just an empty room, devoid of any emotion or personal touches, like no one had stepped foot inside of it for years. 

 

Eren began to slightly worry that perhaps he had come too late and Grisha no longer occupied the office, but that worry was immediately replaced when he heard a soft noise from what he assumed was the attached terrace. Despite himself, he felt his heart begin to race, whether from anxiety or adrenaline, he didn't know. Suddenly the situation felt very real and he wondered if perhaps this was something he should have done another time, when he wasn't in the middle of a crucial mission to take down Cerberus. 

 

"Is someone there?" a voice, older and less frightening than he remembered it being, called from somewhere on the terrace. "If you're here for Ambassador Dina, I'm afraid she's out. Please come back later." 

 

"I'm not." Eren answered back. He was still stood in the middle of the front room, the desk less than a couple of feet away from him. "I'm looking for Dr. Grisha Jaeger." 

 

The entire room fell silent, save for the distant noises of the bustling Presidium outside the Terrace view. Eren wondered if he had given himself away somehow. Perhaps he had -- What difference did it make now? The silence stretched on for a bit longer, the young Lieutenant wondering if he should go to the man himself or wait for Grisha to come to him. The decision was made for him when the very man he came to see walked down the three steps that lead up to the attached terrace. His eyes trailed up to find a face he hoped he would never have to see again, though time had changed it with age and faint wrinkles. He was still the same man who put him through hell as a child. 

 

"... Eren?" came Grisha's disbelieving question. "You're... I'm right, aren't I?" 

 

Eren said nothing, simply held his ground despite feeling his heart quivering in his chest. Once again, he was unsure of it was due to the anxiety over the whole situation or some kind of underlying excitement that he was finally facing down the monster from his childhood. Grisha needed to see that he had survived those horrors, had learned to control the powers he received unwillingly, and was using them for the greater good. That once scared little boy was now stood before him a hardened soldier who had seen war, death and destruction and come out the other side alive and whole. Perhaps a little worse for wear but that was a given for any soldier who went up against what he had over the years. 

 

"You've grown." Grisha said casually. Eren hated the note of satisfaction in the man's voice as he said this. He watched as the older man moved to round the desk before pulling the chair out and sitting. "An Alliance Soldier, too. That uniform suits you well." 

 

"Cut the small talk." the younger brunet snapped. "Don't act like you don't know why I'm here." 

 

"I'm afraid I don't have the time to indulge in conversation with you--"

 

Eren had taken the few short steps toward the desk, the palms of his hands coming to slam down on the table top rattling a nearby glass that sat empty as he did so. "Then _make_ time." he said in a low growl. 

 

Grisha didn't seem fazed by his sudden display of aggression, though he did look up to meet Eren's fierce gaze. "I see that temper of yours hasn't changed." 

 

"Don't talk as if you know me, old man." Eren hissed. "You wouldn't know the first damn thing." 

 

"On the contrary." the older man argued. "I know everything there is to know about you. You are my son, after all. I know the day you were born, the year, the exact time; your blood type, every mole and freckle on your body, the shade of brown of your hair, the color of your eyes--"

 

"Those are just facts picked up from any medical record. You don't know who I am or what I've been through."

 

Grisha fell silent at that, his tired, gray eyes doing their best to continue holding Eren's intense gaze but in the end, he had to look away. The older man sighed softly, his right hand moving to open a drawer of the desk to pull something out. Eren highly doubted it was anything that could harm him, because what real reason did Grisha have to try and hurt him now? If anything, he had lost complete interest in Eren long ago. Still, his bright eyes followed Grisha's movements cautiously. 

 

When all he saw was a small datapad pulled out from the drawer, Eren narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Grisha tapped the screen a few times, Eren noticing that the datapad was password protected, even. Clearly, whatever was on that pad, Grisha didn't want anyone else seeing. Then, the man was handing the datapad to him. Eren eyed it warily before slowly reaching out to take it. He scrolled through the content on the screen, noting that everything he found there were bits and pieces of information about him throughout the last five years or so. Most of it was Alliance records, something easily accessible to anyone in the Alliance ranks, which Eren was pretty sure Grisha was not. 

 

"What's this?" He eventually scoffed. "This is just my record after enlisting with the Alliance. Which, might I add, is fucking weird that you have seeing as this is for Alliance Personnel only."

 

"I have my connections." was all the explanation he received on the matter. "But, as you can see, I've kept myself up to date on you and your entire military career so far. I see you've managed to keep your biotics mostly a secret from the higher ups. How did you manage that, exactly?" 

 

"None of your business."

 

"... Fair enough, but, as you can see, I've kept track of you."

 

"This doesn't prove anything." Eren said. 

 

"It proves that I've still kept a vested interest in your general well-being." 

 

Upon hearing Grisha's words, the young lieutenant could not believe what this man was even saying. "General well-being?" he parroted, voice steadily rising in volume as he slammed the datapad down on the table with enough force to crack the screen. "Since when have you ever fucking cared about _MY_ 'General well-being'?!" 

 

"Eren--"

 

"No! You don't get to say shit like that to make yourself feel better! What you did to me was unforgivable and you and I both know that you should burn in hell for it!" 

 

"Naturally." was Grisha's quick answer. "I've done a lot of things in my life worth more than simply burning in hell, but even if that were the case, I could at least burn happily knowing that my monstrous deeds were of some use in the end." 

 

Eren just couldn't come to terms with what he was hearing. Grisha openly acknowledging that what he did was heinous enough to warrant an eternity in Hell and yet still having the nerve to think that what he did was for anyone's benefit but his own. He had not been prepared for the man to be so openly accepting of his own crimes, least of all for the conversation to take this turn. What he had hoped for was an apology, to find some kind of regret or any trace of remorse in the man's eyes but it was clear to him now that he would find none. 

 

"You're insane." he eventually said, a near-hysterical laugh bubbling up inside of him. "Completely out of your _fucking_ mind. You think that all those sick experiments Cerberus did accomplished something good for someone!? That what _YOU_ did benefited someone other than yourself?!" 

 

Grisha paused before answering that question, his eyes once again settling on Eren's bright, luminous orbs that seemed to be glowing with his biotic powers that were buzzing just underneath his skin, waiting to lash out. He hadn't noticed it before, but as his anger over this situation grew, his hands had begun to glow that curious teal color that seemed to accompany the use of his biotic abilities. Eren was one hair away from using his Throw on Grisha and slamming the man into a wall, but he refrained as best he could... for now. 

 

"Believe what you will," Grisha said, his voice dipping down into something just above a whisper. "In the end, what was only supposed to be a trial test ended up helping you grow and become a soldier who protects others with a power he was given against his will." 

 

Eren took that moment in time to really mull over that answer, while taking a step back and wrestling his biotic powers back down. That curious glow faded, as did the glow of his eyes but there was still anger to be felt. He remembered what Keith had said to help him calm himself whenever he felt like his anger was going to boil over, and that was to close his eyes and just breathe. Which is exactly what he did. He closed his eyes, took a couple of deep, calming breaths and finally felt himself relax. 

 

"I didn't come to hear you try to justify what you did. What's done is done and there's nothing I can do about it now. I have the power that you forced on me, even though I couldn't use them to save mom..." 

 

Suddenly, the atmosphere seemed to shift. Grisha looking almost contrite as he spoke, "I... heard about Carla through various Alliance channels. I never thought she would fall victim to something like the Geth." 

 

"She didn't just _'fall victim'_ to the Geth." Eren bit out. "She was captured and impaled on a giant metal spike, alive, and slowly turned into a mindless, cybernetic Husk!" When Grisha said nothing, Eren continued. "By the time I got back to the colony, she was already turned into one of those monsters." Just getting the words out was hard. Eren had to pause to swallow around a painful lump in his throat before continuing. "... I had to shoot her myself." 

 

"Eren, I'm--" 

 

"Shut. Up." The young lieutenant grounded out. "Don't you dare fucking tell me you're sorry because you don't deserve forgiveness. I joined the Alliance to protect people from monsters like you and Cerberus, but I couldn't even save my own mother from a bunch of stupid machines!" He hated how he could hear the own anguish in his voice as it cracked toward the end. He felt fresh tears lining his eyes, but instead of showing this man any weakness, he angrily wiped them away and straightened himself. "So, since you're so well connected, you should already know that I've been assigned to serve on the SSV Titan under Commander Levi." 

 

"Yes... I'm aware."

 

"Good. Then you should also know that we're under special orders to track down Cerberus and dismantle their entire organization." At this bit of information, Eren watched as confusion suddenly crossed Grisha's face. "Oh? I guess even your connections can't get you access to classified files. What a surprise." 

 

"You're... going after Cerberus?" 

 

"We are." 

 

"Eren, you can't." Abruptly, Grisha stood from his seat. "Please, you must listen to me." 

 

"Why? What's got you so concerned all of a sudden? It's not like you're part of it anymore, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be sitting here all comfy in your Embassy Suite." 

 

"That's not the point!" Grisha suddenly shouted. "Cerberus isn't what it used to be, do you understand? It no longer focuses on the protection of Humankind or it's advancement. The Cerberus you know now will go to any means to achieve it's more sinister goals, even if that means sacrificing all of Humanity." Rounding the desk, Grisha was moving to grab Eren by his shoulders firmly. The young brunet could see the clear fear in the man's eyes, something he never thought he'd see. "Please..." Grisha pleaded. "If your Commander has any sense of reason, he'll listen to you if you tell him why you need to abandon this mission. You won't win against Him." 

 

Stepping back, Eren knocked Grisha's hands away and freed himself of the man's grip. Fixing his father with a defiant glare, he squared his shoulders and announced proudly his confidence in his Commander and their mission. "Commander Levi is Humanity's Strongest Soldier. I've seen that strength for myself several times now. If there's anyone who can succeed in taking down Cerberus, it's him, and I plan on being right beside him helping him do it." To emphasize his point, Eren reminded him of his own abilities. "After all, I'm considered the most deadly biotic thanks to my L5x implants. If the Commander needs a monster, I'll gladly be that monster." 

 

"Eren..." Grisha nearly begged. "Please. Whatever you do, don't go to Sanctuary." 

 

He'd had enough of this now. Nothing about this meeting with Grisha had panned out the way he had hoped it would have, but then again maybe that was his own fault. Without another word, Eren chose to ignore his pathetic pleading and turned to leave the office. He did not stop, nor did he bother sparing the man another glance. His business on this station was over with and now he was just eager to reconvene with his Commander and the rest of their crew to continue with this mission. Thankfully, Grisha didn't try to go after him. Not that Eren really expected him to, but one could never be sure. 

 

Strangely enough, once he had exited the Suite and walked back out into the corridor that lead down into the lobby of the Embassy, Eren ran into none other than Councilor Smith himself. In all honesty, he had never met the man personally before, only ever saw him in vids and pics posted on the extranet. Seeing the man himself in the flesh, however, Eren could feel the incredible authority the man exuded. The way he carried himself, tall and confident. He had heard stories of Erwin Smith's former Alliance days, especially as the former Captain of the SSV Titan. His strategic skills were regarded as the best of the best, even among the Turians who prided themselves on having the best military units in all of the Galaxy. To think, a Human who partook in the First Contact war and bested the Turians would command even the respect and reverence of former enemies. Erwin Smith definitely earned the respect given to him and Eren was no different. 

 

As the man passed him by, Eren couldn't help but salute despite it not being necessary. Erwin glanced his way and noticed him standing by the door to Grisha's Suite. He had expected the man to either ignore him and keep moving, or perhaps give him a nod of his head in acknowledgement. What he did not expect was for the Councilor to stop walking altogether to stop and turn to address him. 

 

"Lieutenant Jaeger." the blond greeted with an affable smile. To be quite honest, Eren was a little speechless with shock that a man as important as Erwin Smith even knew his name to begin with. "What brings you to the Embassy?"

 

"Uh," came Eren's intelligent answer. "Well, some personal business suddenly came up, sir." 

 

"Personal Business." Erwin repeated, a trace of skepticism in his tone. His blue eyes studied the young Alliance soldier standing before him, stiff and rigid. In the end, the Councilor didn't pursue that line of questioning. "I see. Well, hopefully that's all taken care of. I met with Commander Levi not long ago. If my estimations are correct, your ship should be taking off soon." 

 

"Oh. I-I guess I should be getting back then." 

 

"That's a good idea, Lieutenant. Please be sure to take care out there. I'm trusting you to watch Levi's back, after all." 

 

"Yes...Yes, sir! You can count on me!" 

 

Erwin couldn't help but chuckle at Eren's eagerness to prove him right. Such a spirited young man in Levi's ranks must be quite a challenge for the surly Commander and if Erwin knew Levi -- which he'd like to think he did, very well -- he knew that there was no possible way the man would be able to stay cold and indifferent for very long. If what Hanji told him about the rest of Levi's crew was true, and he didn't doubt it was, then Erwin had every reason to believe this crew might just be able to crack their favorite grumpy Commander's rigid outer shell to reach that soft, warm center that very few ever got to see.

 

"Dismissed, Lieutenant, and good luck." 

 

"Sir!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. Shit's finally moving and we're getting more into the thick of things.   
> I was seriously happy with how this chapter turned out. So proud of my titan son! <3


	9. Afterlife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _"♪ Afterlife_  
>  You can tell your God he can keep his salvation  
> And if you like, the angels can fly into the sun  
> We don't, we don't have to do this again ♪"
> 
>  
> 
> **[Afterlife](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKETjbfqcYE)** \- **Nothing but Thieves**

Levi could count on one hand just how many times he'd been to Omega and even that was one too many times already. Upon nearing the space station, The Commander could not help but scowl at just the sight of it. It's [jellyfish-like](http://www.coolwallpapers.me/download/2158/2014/05/Glowing_Space_Station-1920x1080.jpg/) appearance hid the disgusting nature of it's interior from afar, but the closer their ship drew to the station preparing to dock, it became painfully clear just what type of place Omega truly was. 

 

"Commander, we've reached Omega." FL. Kirstein announced over the comm system.

 

Levi was already heading down the bridge toward the airlock where Hanji was waiting for him with a shit-eating grin on her face. The raven glowered up at her, sucking his teeth loudly to express just how annoyed he was with this situation still. Hanji simply grinned wider, if that were even possible. Clearly, she was having far too much fun at Levi's expense and he didn't like it. As the Commander arrived at the airlock, fully donning his armor, despite it not being a requirement on the space station, he was met with three other familiar faces. His squad was going to accompany him on this mission as well. 

 

"Oi," Levi said, coming to full stop just as he reached the sealed doors, Eren, Armin and Mikasa right behind him. Turning to glare at Hanji once more, the Commander frowned. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" 

 

Hanji blinked at him owlishly, as though she had suddenly lost all comprehension of the english language before she threw her head back and laughed loudly. "I'm going with you, of course!"

 

"Like hell." Argued Levi. "If you and I both go ashore, who the fuck is going to handle shit here?" 

 

"Oh, Levi, would you calm down?" the brunette guffawed. "The Titan's crew is made up of grown adults who can handle themselves. It's not like anyone would think about throwing a party while the ship's Commander and Executive Officer are ashore. This isn't some cheesy teenage earth movie." 

 

"Hanji." the raven stressed, already feeling an oncoming headache. Wasn't it bad enough that he was being forced to set foot on that filthy excuse of a space station? Now he had to deal with Hanji's nonsense. "You're missing the fucking _point_ here." 

 

"Ugh, FINE!" the scientist eventually groaned. "Marco? You can hear me, right, babe?" 

 

_"Yes, Dr. Zoe. What need do you have of me?"_

 

"Be a sweetheart and hold down the fort while the Commander and I are ashore, okay?" 

 

"Hanji!" Levi snapped. "You're not seriously letting an A.I. take charge of an Alliance ship!" 

 

"Oh, great." Jean could be heard complaining from the cockpit. "Now we're taking orders from the tin man?" 

 

 _"Please don't worry, Commander."_ came Marco's clear voice through the comm. _"I am more than aware of what Alliance protocol is and will follow it accordingly."_

 

"That's what I'm worried about..." grumbled the Commander under his breath. "Whatever. I'm holding you responsible if this goes ass up, shitty-glasses." 

 

"Yes, yes, I know!" 

 

Exchanging concerned glances with one another, Eren and Mikasa eventually looked to Armin for confirmation that leaving Marco in charge of the ship while they were all gone was alright. The blond blinked a few times before shrugging his shoulders. Well, that certainly didn't make either of them feel any better but they would just have to trust that Marco wouldn't go haywire on them and lock them out of the ship. Levi and his squad, all donned in their armor, prepared to leave the ship as the airlock finally opened. 

 

 _"The Commanding Officer is ashore. This unit currently has the Deck."_

 

Upon stepping onto the station's docking bay, Levi made sure to put his breather helmet on. Hanji had snorted loudly at him when he did so, earning her some confused looks from Eren and Armin who briefly wondered if they needed to put their helmets on too. 

 

"Don't bother." the brunette had said, side-stepping Levi and his squad in order to walk ahead of the group. "Omega is perfectly safe to walk around sans armor and helmet and it provides oxygen." she emphasizes this by gesturing to her own casual attire. Hanji was dressed in her civvies. "Where I plan on going, it wouldn't be smart to wear anything that could give me away as Alliance." 

 

"Uhm, Hanji?" Armin asked hesitantly. "Where... exactly will you be going?" 

 

"Oh?" the woman suddenly perked up. "Actually, Armin, would you like to go with me to the Tuhi district? It's where they have Omega's market. Lots of shops that sell used or recycled parts, even some rare stuff they've smuggled from various planets.

 

Armin's blue eyes went wide, his mouth falling open just a bit before he caught himself and closed it. Sheepishly, he looked over at his Commander who was already rolling his eyes because he could see where this was going. Before the blond could even say anything, Levi waved him off. 

 

"Just go." he exasperated. "Maybe Hanji taking you with them will keep them out of trouble."

 

"Sure, that's one way to look at it." the brunette hummed. "Or, maybe having a fully armed soldier with me will help me talk down some of the shop vendors." Then a devious grin spread across her face. "You know... twist their arm a little." 

 

"Ah-ha-ha." Armin laughed nervously. "Um, you mean twist their arm figuratively, right?" When Hanji didn't give him an answer, the blond Lieutenant swallowed thickly. "Crap. You were serious?!" 

 

"Calm down, Coconut head!" Throwing her arm around his shoulders, Hanji casually played off her little joke with ease. "I'll only have to get physical with 'em if they refuse to negotiate or try to rip us off." 

 

"Idiot." Levi said as Hanji started leading Armin ahead of the group, her arm still locked around his neck so that he could nothing but clumsily follow after her. "If you get your ass in trouble with the local mercs around here, don't expect me to come save it. I'll leave you behind without thinking twice."

 

Just as Hanji passed the Commander by, the woman grinned before her hand was moving to press something on the back of Levi's helmet. Suddenly, the protective glass visor retracted up into the helmet and Levi was left vulnerable to the air on the station. Eyes going wide when he realized what Hanji had just done, the Commander quickly held his breath, his right hand frantically trying to locate the button on the side of his helmet that would lower the visor again. In his haste, he missed it a few times before finally locating it. Once his visor was down, Levi released his breath and panted harshly. Hanji was cackling like a madwomen as she and and a horrified looking Armin headed off into the station first. 

 

"That crazy bitch." Levi growled out, still struggling to catch his breath. "I'm gonna shove them out of the airlock mid-flight one of these days." 

 

"Uh, Commander?"

 

" _What?_ " 

 

"If Hanji says it's okay to breath the air here, why are you still wearing your helmet?" Eren asked. 

 

"Because oxygen or not, Omega will always be a disgusting cesspool of walking filth and I refuse to breath the same air as them."

 

"Right." 

 

With his visor safely back down and secured, Levi returned to heading their little group, Eren and Mikasa following after him as they finally entered the surprisingly large space station. From the outside, it doesn't look nearly as big, but the inside was a completely different story. While it lacked both the natural and bright neon lights like on the citadel, Omega was still quite striking in it's own way. There was something gritty about it that spoke of it's long history housing malcontents and as they entered the station, there to [greet](https://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/5911/1518982-omega2.jpg) them as they walked in was the large lighted sign that read "Afterlife" in red glowing letters. 

 

"Is that where she is?" Mikasa asked. "This Asari -- Annie?" 

 

"Apparently." gritted out Levi. Just the thought of having to enter that place. He could already hear the bass of trashy club music thudding against the walls and it only further made him wish this mission could be done and over with. "Come on. Let's hurry up and see what the hell this so-called informant knows so we can get the fuck out of here." 

 

"Looks like they have security." Eren observed, noting the Elcor that was the stood outside the entrance with a list of names in one hand. On either side of the club's doors were two armed Turians. "Think they'll give us trouble." 

 

"They'd better not. If they know what's good for them." 

 

"Should we try and pull rank?" came Mikasa's question. 

 

"That won't work here. Letting them know that we're Alliance would be like covering ourselves in blood and jumping into a pit of hungry Varren." 

 

"So what should we do?" 

 

Levi took a moment to take in their surroundings. Near the stairs leading up to the club's entrance was a lone [Batarian](https://cdn4.dualshockers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/bartarians.jpg) who seemed to be staring at the trio. Narrowing his eyes on the alien, Levi quickly worked out the situation. 

 

"We do nothing." he said. "Looks like we're expected." Jerking his head in the direction of the batarian giving them a good stare down, Eren and Mikasa exchanged questioning glances. "For now, stay on your guard. Just because we were expected doesn't mean we're welcome."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Levi took the lead, his squad following behind him in a familiar formation. Mikasa kept a watchful eye on the two armed Turians while Eren made sure to cover Levi's back in case anyone thought they could be cute and run up behind the Commander. From what he knew, Omega was lawless and crime was pretty rampant. No one would blink twice if someone got mugged and beat up in the middle of the street, which meant there was nothing stopping thieves from trying to pickpocket a trio of Alliance soldiers. 

 

"Stop right there." the Batarian said. "You. You're him, aren't you? Commander Levi." 

 

Levi ignored the way the Batarian seemed to spit his rank and name out, like just saying it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Not exactly surprising, given the reason. "Should I know you?" came Levi's indifferent answer. 

 

"No. But every Batarian knows who you are." came the bitter response. "After what you did to my fellow brothers on Orvud, your name is known throughout the entire Batarian homeworld."

 

"Oh? I'm flattered." 

 

His sarcastic reply only seemed to anger the Batarian, all four of his eyes narrowing and his lips curling back to reveal those sharp set of teeth. "Watch yourself, Levi. There are a lot of Batarians who would love nothing more than to put a bullet through that pretty little head of yours. Myself, included." 

 

Taking a step forward, Levi met the Batarian with a challenging glare. "I fucking dare every single one of you to try it. It'll be the last thing you'll ever do." 

 

Growling with rage, the Batarian moved to reach for his gun but Eren was faster, already discretely pressing the barrel of his pistol against the Batarian's abdomen. This had the alien freezing entirely as his eyes widened and shifted nervously. 

 

"Reconsider that move." the brunet soldier hissed in a low voice. "We came here to see Annie. Now, unless you don't want to leave here with a hole in your stomach, I suggest you take a step back and let us through."

 

The Batarian seemed reluctant to step back, but with one firm press of his gun against the alien's gut, he was soon backing off with a frustrated grunt. Eren holstered his weapon, Levi giving him a side-long glance as they were finally granted access to the front entrance. 

 

"... Annie's waiting for you in the upstairs lounge. Don't cause any trouble for her or we'll really have a problem." 

 

"No promises." Levi said as he continued walking past the Batarian. Mikasa following closely and Eren joining them once he had holstered his weapon. As they walked through what appeared to be a tunnel like entrance, Levi felt the need to praise his Lieutenant for that earlier display. "Eren." 

 

"I know." came the younger man's apologetic voice. "I shouldn't have been so quick to threaten that asshole just because he threatened you. I'm sorry." 

 

"No." the Commander said dismissively. "I was actually going to tell you that was a good move back there." As they approached the second door that would lead into the nightclub, Levi stopped and slightly turned back to face his subordinate. "Not bad." 

 

Despite himself, Eren felt his cheeks warm, suddenly feeling flustered at Levi's words. "Th... Thank you, sir." 

 

"Don't let it get to your head, though." Levi was quick to dismiss as he turned back to face the door. "Once we go through these doors, we'll need to be on our toes. Erwin thinks Annie can give us some useful information but I'm not so sure. If nothing else, we'll be walking into a trap, so keep your eyes and ears open." 

 

"Understood." Eren and Mikasa answered in unison. 

 

Finally, Levi took a step forward, the doors automatically opening before him and then they were being assaulted both visually and audibly. Afterlife was far better lit than the rest of Omega, it seemed, with it's giant pillar of blinding pink neon light at the center of the large, ring-shaped room. The thumping of loud electronic dance music could be felt reverberating through their chests as Levi led his squad into the club, glancing around for any signs of stairs. The Batarian outside said Annie was in the upstairs lounge, so find the stairs, find Annie. They wandered the club, ignoring the the half-naked dancers on the table tops and bar tops, both Asari and human. A few drunken patrons bumped into the Commander during their search for the upstairs lounge, but any brawls they tried to pick were quickly discouraged when more sober bar patrons recognized the Commander. Well, if this didn't alert Annie to their arrival, Levi wasn't sure what would at this point, short of blowing up a damn sky car. 

 

When they had circled the room halfway, they finally saw the light staircase that curved into an L shape on both sides. One Turian stood guard on one side while another Batarian took post on the other. Guards could only mean there was a very important person worth protecting up those stairs. Levi would bet his entire weapons locker that Annie was somewhere up there. Only one way to find out. Glancing back at the other two members of his squad, Levi jerked his chin in the direction of the lit stairs indicating that they had arrived at their destination. Mikasa and Eren nodded in agreement, already tightening their formation as Levi led them toward the stairs. 

 

"I'm looking for Annie Leonhart." he said to the Turian guard who scowled at him. "She's expecting us." 

 

Scoffing, the guard finally stepped aside. "Up there. Don't cause any trouble." 

 

Rolling his eyes, Levi began to ascend the stairs. "Where have I heard that before?" 

 

Eren snorted from behind him. "Maybe you just have that sort of face, Commander." 

 

"Meaning what exactly?"

 

"The face of someone who causes trouble wherever he goes." 

 

"... That goes for you too, Jaeger." 

 

"..." 

 

When they reached the top of the stairs, Levi found himself standing in the middle of a rather darkly lit lounge. It was typical of what any club lounge should look like, minus the poor lighting but maybe that was part of it. From what little he could make out, leather couches lined the walls, occupied by important looking persons of all races and species. But, at the center of the lounge was yet another set of steps, these much wider and illuminated. They led up to an open platform, a large leather sectional took up most of the space and seated on that couch was an Asari woman. She was surrounded by even more armed guards and Levi couldn't help but sigh. He was starting to think that if shit hit the fan, they were going to have a lot of people of shoot. Not that he minded. He would take simple armed guard as opposed to Geth or Husks. 

 

He started up the steps, only to be stopped at the top of the platform by one of the Turian guards. The alien had the balls to place their talon against his chest to stop him from moving any closer and Levi frowned at this. Eren was quick to back up his Commander, just as he had done before, pulling his pistol out and aiming the barrel straight at the Turian's chest while Mikasa aimed her weapons at the other armed guards who were starting to get fidgety. 

 

"What the hell is the meaning of this shit?" Levi growled. "Is this how you greet all of your expected guests, Leonhart?" 

 

"No one gets closer to Annie without going through a full body scan first." the Turian said. "However, you're clearly heavily armed, so we can't let you past this point." 

 

"Then you can all fuck yourselves because I'm not handing over my weapons." 

 

"It's alright." Annie suddenly said. Her voice was softer than Levi was expecting it to be. "It's true, I have been expecting Councilor Smith's proxy to come and see me." Standing from her spot on the couch, Annie moved a few steps closer and raised her hand up to dismiss her guards. "However... I wasn't expecting it to be you, Commander." 

 

Annie was a striking woman with her pale blue skin that very nearly looked iridescent, but it was hard to tell under the poor lighting. Her unique facial markings were of a dark pink color, vaguely resembling a circlet around her forehead with a large, swirling heart design right at the center. Her full lips were painted a pale pink in color and her eyes were a piercing blue that seemed to chill you to the very bone. Overall, Annie Leonhart was nothing like any Asari Eren had ever seen before. Annie's gaze studied the Commander for a long moment, but then soon drifted to Eren where her gaze lingered. She seemed almost to recognize him in some way but as to how or why, Eren wouldn't be able to say. If he had met Annie before, he was positive he would have remembered. It wasn't every day you met an Asari with iridescent skin. 

 

"You're his son, aren't you?" she suddenly asked, catching the young Lieutenant off guard. 

 

"What?" Eren asked dumbly. 

 

"Grisha." Annie clarified. "You're his son. I can see the similarities between the two of you."

 

Hearing this did not please Eren, and he made it known by angrily breaking his gaze with Annie. "Don't talk to me about that bastard. We're here to find out what you know about Cerberus." 

 

The Asari woman eyed Eren for a moment longer before she was returning her gaze to the Commander who was watching the exchange between Annie and Eren with clear displeasure. "Yes, of course. Cerberus. I told Erwin that if he wanted to eradicate Cerberus once and for all, he would need my assistance and my information." 

 

"Then hurry up and give it to us already." ordered Levi. "The sooner we have this fucking important information of yours, the sooner we can leave this shitty space rock and take down Cerberus." 

 

"Very well, but you should know, Commander." Annie paused, her eyes drifting back toward Eren who was now glaring up at her. "My information comes at a price."

 

"Tch, I figured as much. Fine. Whatever you want, I'm sure Erwin would be more than happy to pay." 

 

"I don't want credits." the Asari said with a frown. "I want an equal exchange." 

 

Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Levi already didn't like where this was going. "Exchange? Of what? Information for Information?" Is that what she was after? Information about the Alliance? 

 

"No. If I wanted information I could just pay the Shadow Broker to get it for me." With her attention still on Eren, Levi was starting to feel very annoyed. What was her obsession with Eren all of sudden? First that weird exchange between the two of them and now she couldn't stop staring at him. 

 

"Then what?" Levi snapped at her. His patience was already beginning to wear very thin. 

 

Flicking her eyes back to the Commander and meeting his intense glare head on, Annie said, "I want to join you and your crew for this mission." 

 

Ah. So, that was her plan, then. Join their ranks, learn information, feed it back to Cerberus and stab them all in the back. Levi knew that this whole thing was too good to be true. Why would such a convenient person come along at just the right time when Levi and his crew needed information on Cerberus more than ever before? It was too easy. Nothing ever came without a high price and right now, he was looking right at said high price. 

 

"No." was the raven-haired Commander's answer. Not a beat of hesitation to be found or heard in his tone. "Absolutely not." 

 

Suddenly, Annie frowned. "... I would suggest you take a little longer to consider my offer, Commander." 

 

"I don't need to consider anything. I said no. Whatever information you have isn't worth risking letting a supposed "former Cerberus operative" join my ranks, putting not only myself but the rest of my crew in potential danger." Abruptly, Levi turned to start descending the stairs, seeing no point in staying on this station any longer when it clear there would be no compromised reached here. Erwin would be disappointed but who the fuck cared about that? Levi needed to think about the safety of his crew before anything else. "We're done here. Squad Levi, retreat back to the ship." 

 

Mikasa was first to start following Levi back down the stairs, but Eren linger behind a moment more. He and Annie held each other's gazes, her pale blue eyes seeming to pin him in place. She seemed to want to say something but Eren wasn't interested in hearing it. Whatever it was, he was sure that it would only piss him off. While he was also just as annoyed as Commander Levi was about the wasted trip, he couldn't justify letting someone as dangerous like that on their ship. With or without Annie's help, they would eradicate Cerberus. Finally, Eren turned and moved to follow his Commander, when Annie suddenly spoke up again. 

 

"If you walk away from this opportunity now, You'll never find Sanctuary." 

 

Halting completely, Eren had to take a moment to let that one word sink in. _'Sanctuary.'_ Grisha had mentioned it that time too. _'Don't go to Sanctuary.'_ It had been a warning then, but Annie was offering them the chance to go there. What he couldn't understand was, why was it so important for him not to go there? Grisha had been so desperate when he begged him not to go there. _'You won't win against Him.'_ Who did he mean? Him? These were questions that he needed answered and Annie was apparently the key to answering all those questions. 

 

"Wait..." Eren said, but when Levi kept going he spoke a little lounger. "Wait! Commander Levi!" 

 

Stopping short of the second set of stairs, Levi looked back just in time to see Eren turning back to face Annie. Scowling, the Commander doubled back. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Jae--" 

 

"You said something about Sanctuary." Eren said, tuning out his Commander in the meantime in order to extract whatever information he could from Annie.

 

"I did." Annie nodded. 

 

"What do you know about it? What... no, _Who_ will we fight if we go to Sanctuary?"

 

The Asari woman blinked slowly, seemingly to take in the full extent of Eren's questions. "Oh? So, you've heard of Sanctuary before? I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise. You are _that_ man's son, after all." 

 

"He said we would never defeat **Him**. Who did Grisha mean by _'Him'_?" 

 

"Eren." Levi called in a stern voice. "If you don't want to have your fucking teeth knocked in, you'll stop talking." 

 

Turning back to face his Commander, Eren rushed to try and explain. "Levi, Sanctuary is their home base! It has to be." Returning him attention to the Asari woman stood at the top of the platform, Eren needed to confirm it for himself. "I'm right, aren't I?" 

 

"... Yes. That's right. Sanctuary is where the new leader of Cerberus resides." Looking away, Annie hesitated to speak next. "His name... is Zeke Jaeger."

 

"Zeke... Jaeger?" Eren struggled to repeat. Suddenly, his mouth felt dry and his stomach sunk rapidly at hearing that name. "Who--"

 

"He's also that man's son." Annie supplied for him. "So, I guess that makes him your brother." 

 

Swallowing thickly at this new information, Eren had to take a second to regain his voice because he felt like even if he tried to speak now, nothing would come out. How could he have missed such a crucial piece of the puzzle? Of course Grisha had another son. It was never a secret. Still, how had he not remembered him? Was the trauma from his childhood that great that he completely repressed any information about having a half-sibling? Now that he thought back on it, through the haze of all the drugs and the blinding pain, Eren was sure that he had heard Grisha mention his other son a few times. 

 

"My... My brother...?" he mumbled. 

 

"Eren..." came Levi's hard tone. "Did you know about this?" 

 

The brunet shook his head, "No," he breathed. "No, I had no idea." 

 

"Commander," Annie suddenly spoke up. This time directly addressing the raven who was still trying his best not to put a bullet between the Asari's eyes. "I'm putting myself at great risk offering you this information. If that isn't proof enough that I'm not a double agent, then perhaps it would help to know that I have every reason to fear and hate Cerberus." 

 

"Fear is a powerful thing." Levi said, his expression less-than impressed with such a flimsy reasoning. "It can also drive anyone to do whatever it takes in order to survive, which is why you telling me you have every reason to fear Cerberus makes me trust you even less."

 

"Levi," Eren spoke, though he seemed to struggle to get his words out. "We need that information. You know we do." 

 

Facing his Commander, Eren could do nothing but plead with the man, his eyes saying more than words ever could. Levi could see the swirl of emotions in those strangely colored eyes of Eren's, never failing to leave him wondering just what the name of such a color was. Maybe there wasn't a name for Eren's eye color yet. Maybe his eye color could only be described in feelings. The bright light of his optimism, the shimmer of his determination, the deep reservoir of his inner turmoil, the warm glint of his kindness and compassion, the dark shade of fear that plagued him night after night. Levi eventually had to look away as he took a moment to consider their position. Annie had just dropped a huge fucking bomb on all of them, which was proof enough that her information was at least legit. But, her offer of equal exchange still did not sit right with him. 

 

 _'If it means getting any closer to learning about our enemy, it's a trap we must willingly fall into. '_ Erwin's words echoed in the back of his mind, causing Levi to grit his teeth in frustration because he hated feeling like a cornered rat. There were so many things that could go wrong by accepting Annie's offer and Levi already guessed that it would most likely lead to all of them being fucked over royally in the end... but... Erwin did have a good point and damn it, if Levi wasn't angry about that too. He hated how Erwin always managed to be right in the end, no matter how fucked up the situation. 

 

"Damn it." the Commander cursed. "Damn it all! I can't believe I'm doing this shit." 

 

"Commander?" Mikasa prompted. "You're not actually thinking of letting her on our ship?" 

 

Levi could hear the clear disapproval in the younger woman's voice and fuck all if he wasn't right there with her, but unfortunately this decision wasn't his to make alone. He had to consider the possible outcome for the future. With Annie's information, they could finally find the root of all their problems and pull it right out, getting rid of it forever. On the other hand, Levi was putting the lives of dozens of good men and women on the line, just for a chance to take down Cerberus. If it were his choice alone, Levi would have walked away and never looked back. But it wasn't his choice, maybe it never had been in the first place. 

 

"Commander Levi!" Mikasa urged. 

 

"Tch, Leonhart. Report to the SSV Titan in one hour." Levi said, meeting the Asari woman's surprised gaze. "If you're not there, we're leaving port with or without you." 

 

"Commander." Eren breathed out, sounding almost relieved. 

 

"Don't make me regret this decision, Eren." the raven said, determinedly not meeting the younger Lieutenant's eyes as he finally turned to leave again. "You have some explaining to do back on the ship." 

 

"...Yes, sir." 

 

"Thank you, Commander." Annie said as the man and his squad finally disappeared down the stairs. 

 

Levi was eager to get off this station for several reasons. He was angry with himself for choosing to let a potential threat onto his ship, threatening the lives of his crew, all for a chance at one-upping Cerberus. This was the kind of shit that Erwin would pull, which is why he used to be regarded as a heartless Monster back during his Alliance days. He could always see ahead of the chaos and bloodshed, to the bright and clear future that was just on the horizon. Even if it meant walking over the bodies of the fallen, comrades and friends alike, in order to keep advancing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -rubs hands together- thing are getting interesting >:]


	10. Show 'Em a Thing or Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _"♪ All the Underdogs in the world_  
>  _A day may come when we lose_  
>  _But it is not today!_  
>  _Today, we fight! ♪"_
> 
>  
> 
> **[Not Today](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xomrqgZ9X_Y)** \- **BTS**

_"The Commanding Officer is ashore. This unit currently has the deck."_

 

Sasha could be heard groaning from her spot at one of the Mess Hall tables. With one of her cheeks pressed against the cool, metal top, the brunette whined a little more loudly. Sitting adjacent to her was Connie, his patience wearing thin as his fingers tapped against the metal noisily. 

 

"Sasha," he growled. "Would you quit it!? You're making me anxious with all that moaning and groaning." 

 

Suddenly, the girl sat up, her wild brown hair bouncing with her movements. "But Connie, it's not fair! Why does everyone else get to go to Omega and we can't?!" 

 

Connie couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Sasha, we just had shore leave back on the Citadel. Remember? You went shopping with Krista and Mikasa and brought practically a whole crate full of snacks back with you?"

 

"This is different!" huffed the brunette. Her cheeks puffing out in a petulant display of anger. "Omega is an Engineer's wet dream!! So many used and recycled parts and for such cheap prices! Not to mention..." her voice suddenly dropped down to nothing more than a whisper, the woman leaning in and prompting Connie to do the same. "I heard there's even rare stuff smuggled into port and sold at the markets. You just gotta ask the right people the right questions and bam, you're in." 

 

Cocking a brow, Connie eyed his partner warily. "What kinda rare stuff we talkin' about here?" 

 

With an impish grin, Sasha's russet eyes seemed to twinkle with mischievous intent. "Shall we find out?" 

 

Connie snorts loudly and falls back into his seat, arms crossing over his chest as he shot the brunette an unimpressed stare. "Don't be stupid, Sasha. We can't leave the ship without Commander Levi or XO Hanji's permission, you know that." 

 

"Who says they have to know at all?" came Sasha's very convincing argument. "Omega is way smaller than the Citadel. The Market can't be that hard to find. We'll be in and out before Commander Levi or Hanji know a thing." 

 

At Connie's telling silence, Sasha knew that she had managed to at least have him considering her idea. Judging by the hesitant way his gaze shifted between her and the elevator, he was already leaning toward agreeing to her little plan. Not that Sasha ever really doubted Connie in the first place. They were rather infamous all throughout their training days as the two most likely to get into any kind of trouble. Just because they were full-fledged soldiers now didn't mean they weren't still prone to the occasional bouts of mischief. 

 

"Well..." drawls the shorter engineer. Soon a devious expression crosses his face and Sasha's already bouncing in her seat with near uncontrollable excitement. "I guess what the Commander doesn't know won't hurt 'em."

 

"There's the Con-bon I know and love!" cheers his brunette partner. "So, we're going?!" 

 

"You bet your ass we are." smirks Connie. "Lets see if we can get our hands on some fun new toys."

**\-- M --**

Connie couldn't help but shift his gaze around nervously. Omega's market was seriously no joke. It didn't quite sit well with him knowing that they were currently walking among various criminals and petty thieves and the idea of being on a lawless station in general put him on edge. It also didn't help that every Vorcha they happened to pass while exploring the underground levels of the station looked about ready to devour him whole. Well, alright, Vorcha in general put him off. Who wouldn't be put off with all those sharp teeth and those creepy eyes?

 

"Maybe this was a bad idea." he says uncertainly. 

 

Sasha's quick to stop walking and round up on the shorter male, startling him slightly as they come to a complete stop in the middle of a busy market street. Her deep chocolate eyes meet his own wide-eyed stare and Connie swallows nervously at the almost predatory look he found there. 

 

"Don't chicken out on me now, Connie! We're in this together remember?" 

 

"I'm-I'm not chickening out!" he shouts indignantly.

 

Sasha gives him a disbelieving look which only prompts a blush to cross the male's face. 

 

"Hmm. Alright, then if you're not chickening out on me, prove it. Help me look for a guy around here named Fang." 

 

"Fang?" parrots Connie almost sarcastically. "What kind of name is that? Sounds like the antagonist of some cheesy sci-fi vid." 

 

"It's the kind of name of a space pirate, Con-bon! The kind of space pirate that loots freighters and various cruisers in order to salvage their parts and sell them for big bucks." 

 

"Yeah, maybe they could get big bucks from a few other suckers, but not us." 

 

"Exactly!" Sasha says with a wolfish grin. "Because you and I ain't no suckers, are we?" 

 

Puffing out his chest, Connie stands a little straighter and squares his shoulders. "Hell to the no, milady." 

 

"And why is that, Con-bon?" 

 

"Because we've been trained by some of the best damn engineers in the Alliance Navy, that's why!"

\-- M --

Connie had been wrong. They had indeed been suckered by the very space pirate they set off to find, but not because of lack of knowledge on the parts they were trying to buy. Any amateur could pick out bad couplings, let alone cheap and or refurbished couplings. No, they got suckered in the fact that neither Sasha or Connie were very good at bargaining. Turns out, Sasha was only good at haggling when it came to food and her precious snacks. Ship parts? Not so much.

 

"Oh man," Connie whimpers quietly. "We really stepped in it now." 

 

"Calm down, Con-bon." sushes Sasha.

 

"Don't you to tell me to calm down! This whole dumb idea was yours to begin with! I told you we shouldn't have left the ship. Oh fuck, I bet you they already left port without us! Once they find out we sneaked out to buy parts from a literal black market, we're gonna be spaced for sure!" 

 

Connie was clearly panicking, and Sasha wasn't having it. With a swift motion, the brunette clapped her hand tightly over his running mouth, successfully muffling his distressed voice but not silencing him completely. The shorter male struggled to push her hand away from his mouth, grunting and growling but Sasha closed in on him. Currently, they were both hiding in a rather dodgy side alley, the lack of neon lights in the lower shipping districts made it easier for them to evade detection by the naked eye but that wouldn't save them forever. 

 

It was clearly a stupid idea of them to even think they could try to bargain with infamous space pirates known through the Attican traverse and the lawless terminus systems for their ruthless methods. Most of them were Krogan-run gangs, some a mix of human, turian and salarian but the more dangerous and bloodthirsty were definitely the krogan gangs. Not a surprise, but definitely what Sasha didn't expect was for Fang's little group to actually be primarily human with plenty of Krogan and vorcha mercenaries at their disposal. Quite an odd combination but maybe not impossible. 

 

Now they were trapped in the lower district, lost in it's maze-like layouts and impossible to maneuver back streets. Most of the streets were dead ends or blocked off by huge cargo boxes making an easy escape impossible. While Sasha's instincts were quite sharp, especially for an engineer, not even she could successfully lead them down every street and alleyway. They hit several dead ends, and right now was exactly one of those times. 

 

"Connie, you've got to relax and keep your voice down. They have those stupid bot things and their doggy counterparts, remember? They'll hear us." 

 

Shaking his head violently, Connie finally manages to break free of Sasha's hand clapped tightly over his mouth. 

 

"Relax? Relax!? How do you expect me to relax when we're being hunted down by bloodthirsty krogan space pirates!?!" 

 

Shooting him a very irritated look, Sasha takes a step back, as big of a step back as she possibly can considering they were squished into a very tiny and narrow side alley giving them very little room to work with to begin with. It was both a blessing and a curse. 

 

"Connie. We're soldiers, remember? We've been trained in the art of combat." 

 

"Yeah, but we're unarmed. They're not. They have fucking rocket launchers, Sasha. ROCKET. LAUNCHERS." 

 

"True." Sasha mumbles to herself quietly. Falling silent for a few seconds, Connie watches her with a frown. "Wait a minute." she finally snaps. "Didn't we pass an abandoned security room not too far back?" 

 

"...I don't know." Connie grumbled under his breath. He takes a moment to think back before shaking his head. It was useless. He was so focused on getting away and not getting shot that he could barely remember anything along the way. "Maybe? How am I supposed to remember if we did or not?" 

 

"Yeah," Sasha says, the light of excitement returning to her deep brown eyes as she suddenly cracks a huge grin. "Yeah! I'm positive we passed one on the way here! They're bound to have some guns and ammo for us there, if the krogans and vorcha haven't already cleaned it out." 

 

"So, what? You're gonna risk our lives by going back in the direction we just came from on the hopes that there'll MIGHT be some weapons for us to use there?"

 

"If you don't want to take that risk, then stay here, I guess. I'm at least TRYING to get us out of this situation." 

 

With that said, Sasha doesn't waste any time and turns to start making her way out of the alley. Connie is stunned by her harsh words for a second but soon he's shaking himself and rushing forward to grab her by the wrist. 

 

"Hold-Hold on, Sasha." he struggles to say with an even voice. Part of him is terrified at the idea of going back out into the open where snipers and vicious krogan could be waiting to ambush them, but a larger part of him hates the idea of letting Sasha go out there on her own. They were a team; always had been, always would be. "Goddamn it, I can't believe the shit I let you talk me into sometimes." he complains with a heavy sigh following. "But you're right. I guess trying is better than staying sitting ducks just waiting to get shot." 

 

"Exactly." smiles Sasha with a nod. "I knew you wouldn't doubt me, Con-bon. We're partners, right? I trust you and you trust me." 

 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." honey-gold eyes roll skyward before the smaller male takes the lead. "Whatever. Let's just try not to get shot, alright?" 

 

"Roger!"

\-- M --

They managed to reach the small security room posted at the heart of one of the lower districts. There were obvious signs that it had been abandoned years ago, seeing as the lower shipping districts were pretty much run by different gangs residing on the large space station. Each gang's symbol was spray-painted on various walls and cargo boxes to remind any poor unwitting visitors whose territory was whose and just who they were possibly messing with.

 

The security outpost was no different, with Fang's symbol spray painted in deep red, runny strokes over all the windows and doors. It was small and not very well hidden. Anyone who happened to pass through the wide-open area would easily see Sasha and Connie inside the outpost, but that only meant they needed to be quick. 

 

"Alright, Con-bon. Get as many working guns as you can and try to find any clips that might be lying around. At this point, we can't be picky about the type of ammo right now. Anything will do." 

 

"Yeah," agrees Connie reluctantly. "But some armor piercing ammo and a few shredder rounds wouldn't hurt." 

 

Sasha only snorts at his comment but doesn't bother to add onto it. In any other situation she might have but currently she was laser-focused on arming the both of them and getting Connie and herself out of harm's way. Neither of them were biotics so it made things a little harder for them, considering that they were mostly trained in engineering but they had started out as Soldiers just like everyone else who first joined the Alliance. They knew how to shoot a gun, and they knew how to defend themselves in hand-to-hand combat. 

 

 _"Yoohoo~"_ a familiar, cheery voice sang from their personal comm channel. _"Looks like two little ducklings wandered away from the flock and got themselves into quite a pickle."_

 

"Dr. Zoe?" the two engineers cried in unison. They exchanged a look of surprise before Sasha was scrambling to reply to their XO. (**XO = Exec.Offic) "H-How did you know Connie and I were on Omega?" 

 

 _"Apologies."_ Marco's warm voice beeped in. _"I alerted Dr. Zoe of your location and current predicament."_

 

"The bot ratted us out!" Connie exclaimed. "But how!? I thought we made sure to tweak our omni-tools so it couldn't eavesdrop on us." 

 

"We did." Sasha grumbled. "I don't get it either but right now I'm kind of glad our little omni-tool override didn't work." 

 

 _"Yep. My precious Marco is so smart and responsible. He contacted me as soon as you two settled on this brilliant little plan of yours and aren't you glad he did. Armin and I are close by, so stand by for emergency extraction."_

 

"Extraction?" mouths Connie to his just as concerned partner in crime. "You're not actually going to bring the Titan to come pick us up, are you?" 

 

A raucous laugh could be heard through the comm causing the two younger engineers to grimace as their ears were assaulted with Hanji's noisy cackling. 

 

 _"Oh, that's a good one!"_ wheezed Hanji before they were finally able to compose themselves again. _"Levi would kill me if I used the Titan for something as brainless as extracting two crew members who sneaked off when they weren't supposed to."_

 

"Yeah..." laughs Connie nervously. "Tha-That's what I thought..." 

 

"So how are you going to extract us exactly, Dr. Zoe?" Sasha was quick to ask next. 

 

_"Isn't it obvious, little chickens?"_

 

"Great. We went from ducks to chickens." Sasha hears Connie grumble quietly. She quickly shushes him as they hear a rattle come from a few meters away alerting the both of them to their enemies growing presence. "Shit. They caught up already?" 

 

_"Armin and I have been tracking your location for the last hour. We know exactly where you are and we're heading towards you now."_

 

"Seriously?" Connie again. 

 

"Dr. Zoe, there's no way you'll get here in time. I'm pretty sure they're already closing in on us now." 

 

 _"Nonsense!"_

 

Another loud rattle and Connie and Sasha ducked behind the desk, whatever handguns and pistols they managed to find gripped tightly in hand. While not exclusively meant for field combat, Sasha was one of the most accurate sharp shooters in their class and Connie was known for his speed and agility. If they worked together, they just might be able to hold the enemy off long enough until Hanji and Armin arrived to back them up. 

 

"Hey," a deep, guttural voice says. "I think I heard somethin' over here." Sasha and Connie both go stiff as they recognize the voice being one of their ruthless Krogan pursuers. Of all the unlucky things, why did the Krogan group have to catch up with them first? They weren't equipped well enough to handle taking down 3-4 Krogan Battlemasters. Hell, they'd be lucky to take down one and just that would probably cost way too much energy and ammo. 

 

"Shit..." Connie hisses quietly. "Shit, shit, shit. We're screwed if one of us gets rushed by that Krogan."

 

"Yeah," agrees Sasha with a nod. The somber expression on her face says it all; she's really regretting stepping foot of that Titan in the first place now. "I know." 

 

 _"I highly suggest staying behind cover for now."_ once again, Marco's familiar voice beeps through their comms startling the two engineers. 

 

"Why?" argues Connie rebelliously. "If we're gonna get our asses handed to us it may as well be sooner than later." 

 

Sasha seems to agree with his logic, no matter how senseless it sounded, and the two engineers prepare to pop out from behind cover to start bombarding their Krogan adversary. As they moved to lunge forward, an explosion was both heard and felt as the ground and walls around them shook and disoriented them, their ears ringing slightly as they had been blinded by a bright flash. 

 

"What the fuc--" 

 

"Oops! My bad!" Hanji chuckles sheepishly. "Should've warned you guys I was gonna do that." 

 

Once their disorientation was mostly shaken off, Connie and Sasha looked behind them to find Hanji themselves standing at the top of a staircase leading to one of the upper floors, a rocket launcher in one hand and a frag-bomb in the other. Armin was tapping away at the holo-screen of his omin-tool but he glanced up briefly to shoot Connie and Sasha an apologetic look. 

 

"Look like you're both still in one piece!"

 

"What!?" shouts Sasha, her ears still ringing as she tries to move her jaw around. 

 

"He said--" 

 

"Ah, forget it." Hanji interrupts. "Come on my little dumplings, lets get you out of here before more of those nasty boys show up." 

 

Connie was quick to grab Sasha by the collar of her uniform and drag her along as he ran toward the stairs. Once joined with Hanji and Armin the quartet set out, Armin navigating (with some help from Marco) and occasionally hacking through some rather stubborn doors or gates, Hanji holding off any hot-headed Krogans with their mysterious, new, shiny rocket launcher, and Connie and Sasha helped by picking off any pesky Vorcha or Varren dogs. 

 

They had a couple of close calls, more than a couple actually, but somehow they managed to make it back to the upper Districts and, finally, they saw the familiar bright neon sign that read 'AFTERLIFE'. Relieved would almost be the word Connie and Sasha would use as soon as they saw that sign but they wouldn't actually feel safe and relaxed until they were back on the Titan surrounded by heavily armed soldiers and Commander Levi. 

 

"I told you this was a dumb idea." Connie complained as they were more or less escorted back to the Titan by a sympathetic Armin and an amused (if slightly disheveled) Hanji on either side of them.

 

 _"Hanji."_ A more than irritated Commander Levi's voice soon beeped through the doctor's comm. _"Grab Arlert and report back to the Titan. We're fucking done here and I need to have a word with your shit-head Politician of a Husband."_

 

Any traces of amusement or mirth on the brunette doctor's face was quickly erased at Levi's biting orders. 

 

"Welp, you heard the little man." jokes Hanji, despite the obvious lack of genuine mirth in their voice or eyes. "We'd better get a move on back to the ship. Connie, Sasha." 

 

The two engineers were expecting a firm warning, but instead were greeted with a toothy smile and wink.

 

"Try to avoid angering any other known space pirate gangs from now on, okay? I'm not as young as I used to be and all that fighting is bad for my health, ya know?" 

 

Snapping to attention, they saluted their XO as they were escorted back to the ship. "Aye, aye, Dr. Zoe!" 

 

"Good~! Now let's hurry up and get back on the ship before Levi catches up to us. Something tells me he definitely won't be in a very good mood when returns." 

 

"Uhm, Dr. Zoe--" Sasha begins.

 

"Don't worry. This stays between me and Armin." laughs Hanji. "And well, Marco too, I guess. Right, Marco, babe?" 

 

_"Yes, Dr. Zoe. Of course."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the very late update on this fic, you guys. I've sort of been out living my life and just being a normal 23-year-old person lol
> 
> This chapter isn't something I'm terribly happy with but I had started it (literally) months ago and just wanted to finish it and post it.  
> So sorry if it seems rushed, it's because it is.  
> While it started out as something fun I wanted to do with Sasha and Connie, I took way too long to finish writing and sort of lost all my original motivation to write it altogether.  
> But, anyway, consider this a sort of filler chapter before we continue with the more serious stuff from here on out.
> 
> Thanks for being so patient, those of you who are still following this fic or who have just started reading it! <3 I'll be posting another chapter right after this as a treat for waiting so long~


	11. It Begins

Arriving back on the Titan, Levi had taken the time to stop Eren in the shuttle bay. He needed to speak with the brunet alone about that interaction with Annie back on Omega and why Levi was only hearing about the meeting with his father now instead of earlier. There were too many things that he was in the dark about and he needed some clarification. 

"Eren, hold on." Levi was leaning against one of the weapon benches, armor still on but helmet set aside. "We need to have a talk." 

Mikasa had been about to step onto the elevator when Levi had stopped Eren, but she hesitated and lingered by the door when the brunet doubled back to meet his Commander. Levi noticed her hovering by the elevator door and jerked his chin toward her. His silent way of telling her to be on her way. For a moment, she looked about ready to defy that order, but in the end, she got onto the elevator and allowed the doors to close. Now, it was just the commander and his lieutenant stood before one another. Eren was back in his fatigues, shifting his weight over from foot to foot nervously as he waited for Levi to say something. 

"... Why didn't you tell me you had spoken to your father?" the man finally asks. 

"I... didn't think you were interested in my personal affairs, sir." 

"What about this 'Sanctuary'? It didn't occur to you that maybe that was vital information for the mission?" 

"I didn't have any proof about Sanctuary until just today. I didn't want to waste our time if it turned out to be a false lead." 

"What about, oh, I don't know, the fact that your old man plays some important part in all this? Didn't think to mention that to me before either." 

"..." 

At Eren's silence and the rather penitent look on his face, Levi knew that he had grilled the young soldier enough. He had acknowledged his own mistake and had the decency to look sorry about it, so for now, the Commander would ease up. They had bigger things to worry about, anyway. Like the fact that a former Cerberus operative was going to be residing somewhere on their ship. Speaking of Annie, Levi had to wonder what her interest in Eren was. She had continued to stare at him throughout their meeting. Was that something else Eren was hiding from him? 

"Eren," prompting the brunet to finally look at him again, Levi made sure to put plenty of weight behind his next words because they were just that important. "You're part of my squad now. We're a Team. You, me, Armin and Mikasa. There needs to be trust between team members." Straightening from his position leaning against the weapons bench, Levi met Eren's gaze, storm-gray boring into the Biotic's shimmering ocean green eyes. "So, can I trust you?" 

"Yes!" Eren said fervently, taking a step toward Levi and closing the large gap between them just a bit. "Levi, I promise." he said, voice softening and wobbling ever so slightly. "You can trust me." 

The Commander was unable to tear his eyes away from the profound look in Eren's eyes, a strange sensation in his chest when he heard those heartfelt words, paired with that earnest expression. For a split second, it was like Levi was no longer talking to the young Lieutenant under his service, he was talking to Eren Jaeger, the young man underneath the uniform who wanted to help save and protect this galaxy, just as much as Levi did. For a brief moment... he saw an equal. 

"Alright," Levi began. He found it almost odd that his own voice had somehow gone a bit rough, clearly not expecting Eren's open honesty to affect him this way. "Alright, Eren." he repeated, voice stronger and more clear this time. "I'm going to trust you. So, start by telling me what your connection is with the Asari." 

Confused, Eren seemed to withdraw suddenly. "I... I honestly don't know myself, Sir. I swear on my mother's grave, I've never met her before but for some reason she seemed to know a lot about me."

"It's fucking suspicious." frowned the Commander. "She was so focused on you, it was almost creepy." 

"Yeah, it was definitely... weird. But, I swear, I didn't know a thing about Annie before this mission." Eren's expression turned thoughtful as he moved to stand next to Levi. He took up his Commander's previous position, leaning back against the weapons bench, his arms crossing over his chest as he seemed to get lost in thought. "It's strange..." he muttered to himself. 

"What is?" Levi prompted. He mirrored Eren, arms coming to cross over the chest plate of his N7 armor. 

"When I was on the Citadel a few days back, I had decided to go and see my--" stopping abruptly, the young Lieutenant seemed to grow uncomfortable with something. "I decided to go and see Grisha at his Suite in the Embassy. In all honesty, it was just an impulsive idea at first, but after putting in some real thought to it, I decided to go -- for some closure I guess." 

The raven-haired Commander stood nearby and listened intently, knowing that Eren must be gearing up to tell him about what he assumed must have been a pretty intense or dramatic meeting with his own father. From what he had gathered about the young man standing next to him, thus far, was that he had more than just a complicated opinion of his own Father. Levi didn't have the details -- not that he had bothered to ask for them before but now he was just a little curious. 

"I didn't actually think he would be there but... then he walked out from the lanai and everything just sort of froze. It was like I was transported back in time for a second, back to the days when he used to..." the brunet trailed off, his voice petering out as he seemed to think better of spilling all the details of his personal life with his Commanding Officer. "Anyway, we talked for a bit, mostly it was him spewing some stupid bullshit and me trying not to rip his fucking head off." At this part, Levi snorted very softly but Eren heard it and seemed to almost relax at the sound. "Was... was that a laugh, sir?" 

Rolling his eyes, Levi nudged the Lieutenant against his shoulder roughly, nearly knocking Eren over but the brunet caught himself before that. "Get on with it, Jaeger. Obviously, you succeeded in not ripping the bastard's head off. Then what happened?" 

Collecting himself, The Commander tried to ignore the little knowing smirk plastered on the younger man's face as he took up his spot leaning against the weapons bench once more. Taking a deep breath, Eren continued where he left off. "Yeah, by some miracle I managed not to lose my shit, though it was a close call. Then, I happened to mention Cerberus to him. That's when things started getting strange." 

"It probably had to do with the fact that he's part of it." Levi mused aloud. 

"Used to be part of it," Eren corrected, though his tone held just a hint of bitterness. "Or so he claims, anyway. I wouldn't believe a word that bastard says."

Taking this new information into consideration, Levi sucked his teeth quietly. "This still doesn't answer the question of why Annie was so focused on you." Glancing up at the taller brunet, Levi had to ask the final question. "You were telling the truth when you said you didn't know you had a brother, weren't you?" 

Eren was quiet for a few long moments, "Well," he began. "I guess it's not entirely true that I didn't know. I mean, yeah, its true I didn't know his name or any details about him, let alone that he was the new head of Cerberus but... I think maybe Grisha had mentioned his other son a few times. It's hard to remember clearly." 

"So, you knew on some level, then." 

"I... I guess I did." 

This latest development didn't help them at all, no matter how crucial the information. Knowing that Eren's family was tied deeply into Cerberus certainly worried Levi. What if his loyalty toward this mission suddenly waned in the future? True, it seemed highly unlikely considering the fact he seemed to hate his own Father's very existence but... what about Zeke? Eren had never met him, didn't know the first thing about him, other than the fact that they both shared the same father. Who was to say what his opinion of Zeke would be? Levi could only hope that wouldn't be the case, because he found himself wanting to trust Eren. They had already been through so much together in such a short time.

"We need more information." The Commander suddenly announced, shaking away his thoughts.

"Agreed." nodded Eren. "Sir, I'd like your permission to try and get the information we need out of Annie myself." 

"Eren--" Levi was about to warn. 

"Please, Commander. I know it's a stupid idea because we can't trust Annie but, considering her interest in me, maybe she'd be more willing to talk if I were the one asking." Straightening up, Eren moved to stand in front of his Commander, that goddamned determined expression on his face that Levi was slowly growing fond of. From the way his lips slightly pressed together into a tight line, to the way his thick brows pinched together. 

"Tch... fine." 

Instantly, Eren's face smoothed out as a relieved smile spread across his face. "Thank you, sir. I promise, I'll try and get all the information I can out of her." 

Sighing heavily, Levi also straightened up from his previous leaning position. "I shouldn't have to tell you this, Eren, but be careful around Annie. I've got a feeling that she's hiding something and this is all just an elaborate trap she's setting up." 

"Right. I promise I'll be careful about what I say or do." 

"Good. Now get up to the crew deck and join the others."

"Sir!" 

Levi waited as Eren saluted him and then turned to start for the elevator, only then did he start removing his armor piece by piece. Just as he was about to remove his chest plate, Marco's familiar computerized voice beeped into the private frequency on his omni-tool, something that still slightly unsettled him but he was slowly growing accustomed to. 

_"Commander, Councilor Smith is requesting your presence via the vid comm."_

"I'll be there in a minute." Levi grumbled, struggling to pull the chest plate up and over his head.

_"I will relay that message, Commander."_

Once he had finished removing all his armor, Levi was quick to change back into his fatigues, slightly grimacing when he felt the clean material sticking to the sweat on his skin. He hadn't had the time to shower off when he got back because he needed to set shit straight with Eren and now he was paying for it. After tucking the shirt of his uniform into his pants, Levi laced up his boots and headed for the elevators. On the ride up, he made the mistake of running his hand through his sweat-damp fringe and it only further disgusted him as his hand came away moist. This little briefing with Erwin had better go by quick because Levi was not about to drag it out any longer than it absolutely had to be. He needed a shower and he would be damned if Erwin was going to deny him that little luxury. 

He received some strange looks once he had reached the CIC, but any stares he may have received from the flight crew were quickly ended with one fierce glare of his own and that was enough to have the rest of the crew going about their business. Levi stomped his way toward the Comm room, where Hanji was already waiting for him, looking worse for wear. Stopping briefly to assess her oddly disheveled appearance, Levi raised a questioning brow. 

"You look even worse than I do. What the hell happened to you, four-eyes?" 

The brunette smiled wanly at him, "I'd... rather not go into the specifics right now. Let's just hurry up and talk to Erwin. I'm dying to know what happened with Annie and why she's now suddenly joining our crew." 

"Don't fucking remind me." Levi growled quietly. "It wasn't exactly my decision." 

Hanji followed Levi's lead as he entered the Comm room, the door locking securely behind them as they approached the vid comm. "Marco, patch Erwin through, would you, babe?" 

_"Yes, Doctor. Patching Councilor Smith through."_

Erwin's holographic figure buzzed through some minor static before Marco quickly cleared it up. 

_"Levi."_ Erwin greeted flatly. 

"Hiya, honey bun~" Hanji sang. "I'm here too." 

_"Ah, I see you've brought my wonderful wife to the meeting. Good."_

"Yeah, yeah, we know. You're both grossly adorable with your sickeningly cute pets names or whatever." Waving his hand dismissively in the air, Levi was exuding pure irritation as he felt the sweat beginning to dry on his skin and it made him shudder with disgust. "Can we hurry up and move on to the important shit? You talk to this clown every day." 

The aforementioned 'Clown' made an affronted noise, "Hey!" Hanji squawked. 

_"Right. So, how did the meeting with Annie Leonhart go?"_

"About the same as you expected, I'm guessing." Levi frowned. "You already knew that she was planning to ask to board this ship, didn't you?" 

Erwin was quiet for a moment, then, _"Yes, I had a feeling that was her goal when we talked and agreed on a meeting."_

Levi wasn't sure if he should be impressed or angry. "And you, being the strategist that you are, knew that I would grant her access to the ship." 

_"Honestly, it was a risky gamble on my part. I wasn't entirely sure if you would agree to her request, seeing as it poses a huge threat to you and your entire crew, but judging by your expression I would say that my gamble paid off."_

"... You're a real bastard, you know that, Smith?"

_"So I've been told."_ Came Erwin's solemn answer. _"But it's just as I said, Levi. Its a trap we must willingly fall into, if we want a chance to one up Cerberus."_

"Yeah..." Levi said quietly. "But... is it worth possibly getting dozens of good men and women killed in the process?" 

_"It has to be."_

Levi and Hanji exchange a look between one another, Levi's clearly holding more contempt and reluctance at the idea of this plan than he was willing to ever admit out loud and Hanji's gaze clearly telling him he knew Erwin was right, even if the idea of this plan felt wrong. 

"A necessary evil." Hanji finally says, breaking off her gaze with Levi first to address her husband now. "Isn't that what they call it?" 

_"Yes."_ agrees the Councilor.

"You know," the brunette chuckles softly, a playful expression on her face. "That means I'm also a sacrifice."

A warm but sorrowful expression crossed Erwin's face, even through a slightly grainy holographic image projected light years away, Levi can see that this was not an easy decision for Erwin either. But it just went to show just how far he was willing to go for the sake of Humankind. 

_"I know."_ he says softly. _"And I can only ask for your forgiveness, though I certainly don't deserve it."_

"Oh, shut up, you big drama king." Hanji beams at his words. "You and I both know I'll always forgive you, no matter what you do. Because I know you, Councilor Smith. Better than anyone else in this whole entire galaxy."

Levi stood by awkwardly and listened to their exchange, though he felt this should be a private conversation. Then again, it wasn't like he hadn't caught Hanji and Erwin in various compromising positions over the last few years. Still, catching them doing it on a desk was different from watching them exchange some rather intimate words and looks. Those things were... well, private, what other word was there to describe it, really? 

"... I'm leaving first." he suddenly announces, breaking the tender moment between husband and wife. "If that's all you needed to talk with me about, I'll be off. I need a fucking hot shower and some tea." 

_"Commander,"_ Erwin calls out to him just as Levi reaches the doors. The Commander stops and turns back to regard the vid comm one last time. _"Keep a close eye on Eren Jaeger and Annie."_ the Councilor warns. There's a telling heaviness behind those words, and Levi understood completely. 

"Believe me," Levi nods. "I will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter I loved a whole lot more and have literally had it about 95% finished since like... July, I think.   
> Anyway, I don't really have a theme song for this chapter.   
> Buuuuut I'll just leave a link to the song I had on repeat while writing out majority of this chapter anyway. 
> 
> [Omake-Pfadlib - Hiroyuki Sawano](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnOWJ67tehg)


End file.
